Sinomegaceros (S. pachyosteus 'thick-boned') is an extinct species of giant deer that inhabited what is now China during the Pleistocene of the Quaternary period, about 2.5 million years ago to about 11,500 years ago. This species belongs to the true deer family (Cervidae) and is known for its large size and unique features in its bone structure.
The limb bones of Sinomegaceros are particularly thick and strong, suggesting that this deer may have been a very fast and agile runner in its natural habitat.
Sinomegaceros pachyosteus is one of the largest known giant deer, with a shoulder height that could have reached 2.3 meters and a weight of about 500 kilos. The males of this species were also distinguished by their enormous horns, which could measure more than a meter in length and have a circumference of up to 60 centimeters at the base.
The natural habitat of Sinomegaceros pachyosteus was an open, arid plain, similar to the habitats of modern antelopes. It fed on grasses and shrubs and is believed to have lived in herds, like many modern deer.
The Sinomegaceros pachyosteus became extinct during the late Pleistocene, around 11,500 years ago. Excessive hunting by prehistoric humans and climate change are thought to have contributed to their extinction, though the exact cause remains debated.
The Model Pose represents a specimen of Sinomegaceros fleeing from hunting by humans.
Approximate measurements of the Sinomegaceros:
- Scale 1:56 - 45mm
- Scale 1:35 - 65mm
- Scale 1:20 - 115 mm
