equivalence of a silhouette ofJosephoartigasia monesiwith a person and a drawing of a pacarana , its closest living relative ; Courtesy of Andres Rinderknecht and Ernesto Blanco
The bombastic rodent that ever lived may have had more in common with elephants than just its size . A fresh studyled by scientists at the University of York and the Hull York Medical School ( HYMS ) and published in theJournal of Anatomydetermined that the South AmericanJosephoartigasia monesi , a secretive congeneric of the guinea pig that populate approximately 3 million year ago , may have used its massive teeth in much the same way elephants use their tusk .
Josephoartigasia monesiis the largest rodent fossil ever incur . In 2007 , the first ( and only ) almost complete skull of the giant was unearthed in Uruguay ; it is currently preserved in the National History and Anthropology Museum of Uruguay . Scientists descale up from the 20 - inch skull with dentition nearly a groundwork long to determine that the ancient gnawer most in all probability digest 5 ft tall and weighed around 2200 pound — about the sizing of a American bison .
James Gurney
In the new study , University of York ’s Dr. Philip Cox used data processor model to estimate the chomp power of these foot - long incisors . Cox and his squad determined that theJ. monesi ’s bite strength was around 1400 N , rivaling that of a tiger . But , most interestingly , the tooth were warm enough to stand firm almost three times that force .
Josephoartigasia monesi fossils ; Courtesy Andres Rinderknecht and Ernesto Blanco
“ We concluded that Josephoartigasia must have used its incisors for activity other than nipping , such as digging in the ground for nutrient , or defending itself from piranha , " Cox says in a insistency sacking . " This is very similar to how a New twenty-four hours elephant use its tusks . "
Sorry in advance for the nightmares .
