Smit Original Early Drawing of Anchithers, Anoplother..

SMIT, Joseph (1836-1929).
Anchithers, Anoplother & Xiphodons.
Original Illustration in pen, ink and grey wash, heightened in white.
c.1905-1912.
10 5/8" x 7 1/4" sheet.

Original artwork for Henry R. Knipe's Nebula to Man. Illustrated on page 113.

1. The evolutionary lineage of the horse is among the best-documented in all paleontology. The history of the horse family, Equidae, began during the Eocene Epoch, which lasted from about 56 million to 33.9 million years ago. Anchithers represent one of these branches, and included a variety of three-toed browsing horses comprising several genera. Anchitheres were successful, and some genera spread from North America across the Bering land bridge into Eurasia.

2. Anoplotherium is an extinct genus of herbivorous artiodactyl mammal, possibly belonging to or a close relative of the suborder Tylopoda, which lived in Europe from the Late Eocene to the earliest Oligocene. Fossils of Anoplotherium were first discovered in the gypsum quarries of Paris in 1804 and were subsequently described by French naturalist Georges Cuvier. One of the first Paleogene mammals to be described, 19th Century reconstructions of Anoplotherium can be seen at Crystal Palace Park. The genus name Anoplotherium is a compound of the Greek prefixes 'αν' ('an') meaning 'not', 'λπλον' ('hóplon') meaning 'armed' and the suffix 'θήρ' ('thēr') meaning beast or wild animal. Therefore, the genus name has a full meaning of 'Unarmed Beast', a reference to the lack of tusks or horns.

3. Xiphodon is an extinct genus of artiodactyl mammals found in European Eocene formations. It had slender legs, didactylous feet, and small canine teeth. Xiphodon was closely related to camels.