One-of-a-kind! Massive Titanothere Jaw measuring 16" and weighing 10 lbs!

Above: Titanothere illustration after Burian.

The Titanothere first emerged during the Eocene Epoch and spread from Asia to North America. In North America, the Brontothere or "Thunder Horse" is the most plentiful species in the Eocene-Oligocene formations of Nebraska, Wyoming, and South Dakota, though many species are found throughout the continent.

Above: Several species of Titanothere from Henry Fairfield Osborn's The Titanotheres of ancient Wyoming, Dakota, and Nebraska (1927). The illustrations are by Charles Knight.

These enormous hooved mammals were roughly 14' in length and stood 8' tall at the shoulder. As evidenced by their physiology, they are closely related to tapirs, horses, and rhinos.

This specimen is a partial jaw of a Titanothere with several teeth still embedded. It measures 16" in length and weighs just over 10 lbs. It is very substantial. The estimated age is 30,000,000 years old.

The specimen was recovered on private land in Nebraska. It was held in a private museum collection for many years. It was acquired at auction in the summer of 2021 after it was deaccessioned from the collection. 

Please Note: This specimen shows numerous signs of repair, all of which should be apparent from the pictures. There is also a small number "87" noted on the back. This ties back to the specimen's days in the museum. While shown in a vertical orientation in some pictures, the jaw does not come with a stand. An individual certificate of authenticity will be included.

Above: Closeup of the Titanothere Teeth

Further Reading

Osborn, Henry Fairfield. The titanotheres of ancient Wyoming, Dakota, and Nebraska. Vol. 55. Department of the Interior, US Geological Survey, 1929. [Google Books - Many awesome diagrams and pictures.]

Tanner, Lloyd G., Larry D. Martin, and C. S. Churcher. "New rhinocerotoids from the Oligocene of Nebraska." Essays in Paleontology in honor of Loris Shano Russell. Ontario, Royal Ontario Museum, Life Sciences Miscellaneous Contributions (1976): 210-219.