What likely covered the substantial, two-pronged horns of *Arsinoitherium*?
Answer
A thick sheath of keratin
The defining feature of *Arsinoitherium* was its pair of colossal horns projecting from the snout, situated over the nasal and frontal bones. These structures were substantial and powerful. While they physically resembled the horns of true rhinoceroses, they were likely covered in a thick sheath made of keratin. Keratin is the same fibrous structural protein that constitutes modern human fingernails and the horns found on extant rhinos. However, the internal structure and growth pattern of *Arsinoitherium*'s horns are believed to have differed significantly from those of true rhinoceroses.
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