Amphirhagatherium = Anthracobunodon nests with giant Kubanochoerus in the LRT
Did not know until yesterday that
Hooker and Thomas 2001 synonymized Anthracobunodon (Fig 1) with the earlier named taxon Amphirhagatherium. See citation below.
Figure 1. In the LRT the giant and toothy pig, Kubanochoerus gigas, has a much smaller relative, Anthracobunodon, here reconstructed from X-ray imagery using DGS methods.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/kubanochoerus_gigas_nmnsskull588.gif?w=300″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/kubanochoerus_gigas_nmnsskull588.gif?w=584″ class=”size-full wp-image-94698″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/kubanochoerus_gigas_nmnsskull588.gif” alt=”Figure 1. In the LRT the giant and toothy pig, Kubanochoerus gigas, has a much smaller relative, Anthracobunodon, here reconstructed from X-ray imagery using DGS methods. ” width=”584″ height=”543″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/kubanochoerus_gigas_nmnsskull588.gif?w=584&h=543 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/kubanochoerus_gigas_nmnsskull588.gif?w=150&h=140 150w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/kubanochoerus_gigas_nmnsskull588.gif?w=300&h=279 300w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/kubanochoerus_gigas_nmnsskull588.gif 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 1. In the LRT the giant and toothy pig, Kubanochoerus gigas, has a much smaller relative, Anthracobunodon, here reconstructed from X-ray imagery using DGS methods. Note the extreme posterior placement of the orbits reducing the size of the cranium relative to the rostrum.
Best known from data captured in a cryptic X-ray
(Fig 3) a newly reconstructed Amphirhagatherium bears a striking resemblance to the unicorn pig, Kubanochoerus (Fig 1) . The two taxa nest together in the large reptile tree (LRT, 2338 taxa).
Hooker and Thomas 2001 do not mention Kubanochoerus in their text.
A plaster museum model (Fig 2) was constructed by workers from the X-ray data.
Figure 1. Anthracobunodon data used to score it into the LRT.
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/anthracobunodon-weigelti588.jpg?w=148″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/anthracobunodon-weigelti588.jpg?w=506″ class=”size-full wp-image-88288″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/anthracobunodon-weigelti588.jpg” alt=”Figure 1. Anthracobunodon data used to score it into the LRT.” width=”584″ height=”1183″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/anthracobunodon-weigelti588.jpg?w=584&h=1183 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/anthracobunodon-weigelti588.jpg?w=74&h=150 74w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/anthracobunodon-weigelti588.jpg?w=148&h=300 148w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/anthracobunodon-weigelti588.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 2. Anthracobunodon data used to score it into the LRT earlier. The skull is a plaster model, not suitable for scoring. This looks like a slender and speedy herbivore.
Figure 2. Anthracobunodon X-ray and DGS tracing and reconstruction
” data-medium-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/anthracobunodon.xray588.gif?w=262″ data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/anthracobunodon.xray588.gif?w=584″ class=”size-full wp-image-94700″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/anthracobunodon.xray588.gif” alt=”Figure 2. Anthracobunodon X-ray and DGS tracing and reconstruction” width=”584″ height=”669″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/anthracobunodon.xray588.gif?w=584&h=669 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/anthracobunodon.xray588.gif?w=131&h=150 131w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/anthracobunodon.xray588.gif?w=262&h=300 262w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/anthracobunodon.xray588.gif 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />
Figure 3. Anthracobunodon X-ray and DGS tracing and reconstruction. Compare to figures 1 and 2. The upper canine (orange) is not placed on the lateral recosntructed model because it might have extended laterally, as in Kubanochoerus (Fig 1), rather than ventrally, as in nearly all other tetrapods.
Data employed in the LRT
runs a spotty spectrum from the best to the worst. X-rays (Fig 3) are difficult, but not impossible to interpret.
It’s the best way to see tooth roots in situ.
References
Hooker JJ and Thomas KM 2001. A new species of Aphirhagatherium (Choeropotamidae, Artiodactyla, Mammalia) from the Late Eocene Headon Hill Formation of Southern England and phylogeny of Endemic European ‘Anthrocotheroids’. Palaeontology 44(5): 827–853.
Source: https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/2025/09/27/amphirhagatherium-anthracobunodon-nests-with-giant-kubanochoerus-in-the-lrt/
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