Libralces

Libralces Temporal range: 5.330–0.781 Ma PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓ Pliocene-Pleistocene
Libralces gallicus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Artiodactyla
Family:	Cervidae Carroll 1988[1]
Subfamily:	Odocoilinae
Genus:	†Libralces Azzaroli 1952[1]
species
†L. gallicus †L. latifrons †L. reynoldsi

Libralces was a genus of Eurasian deer that lived during the Pliocene period. The genus' main claim to fame are their 2+ meter wide antlers, comparable in size with those of Megaloceros.

Fossils of Libralces have been found from France to Tajikistan^[1] with best known the French L. gallicus.

According to Jordi Agustí, Libracles was the ancestor of Megaloceros, though, most other authorities regard it as a relative of moose, Alces.

In the Pleistocene, there were three genera of Holarctic moose-like deer — Cervalces, Alces, and Libralces. In contrast to modern Alces, the Villafranchian Libralces gallicus had very long-beamed, small-palmed antlers and a generalized skull with moderately reduced nasals; the Nearctic Cervalces had longer nasals and more complex antlers than Libralces. Azzaroli 1953 added Alces latiforns to Libralces, but this position has been challenged.^[2]

Gallery

Partial skull of Libralces latifrons

References

1. "Libralces". Paleobiology Database. Retrieved September 2012.
2. Kurtén, Björn; Anderson, Elaine (1980). Pleistocene Mammals of North America. Columbia University Press. p. 315. ISBN 9780231037334.