What distinction did Arsinoitherium hold regarding mammal size in Eurasia during the Oligocene?
Answer
It was the largest mammal found in Eurasia during the Oligocene epoch
The context of the Oligocene epoch is crucial for understanding the significance of Arsinoitherium's bulk. While subsequent epochs saw lineages like the ancestors of modern elephants grow to surpass Arsinoitherium in absolute linear scale (height and length), during its time in Eurasia, Arsinoitherium occupied the pinnacle of mammalian size. It stood unmatched as the largest mammal in that region throughout the Oligocene. This status implies it was perfectly adapted to the cooler, drier conditions setting in after the Eocene warmth, dominating the available ecological niche reserved for the largest herbivores until later evolutionary radiations introduced larger forms.
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