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Fine Authentic Woolly Rhino Tooth Crown (Coelodonta antiquitatis), Siberia

3.5 x 2.5 x 2.25 Inches On Stand
Unworn Authentic Tooth Crown

COELODONTA (pronounced See-low-DONT-ah. The oldest known species of Coelodonta, Coelodonta thibetana is known from the Pliocene of Tibet dating to approximately 3.7 million years ago, with the genus being present in the Siberia, Mongolia and China during the Early Pleistocene. The woolly rhinoceros first appeared during the early Middle Pleistocene in China, and the oldest remains of the species in Europe, which represents the only species of Coelodonta antiquitatis to have been present in the region, date to approximately 450,000 years ago. They became extinct during the late Pleistocene about 14,000 years ago.

An adult woolly rhinoceros typically measured 10.5 to 11.8 feet from head to tail, stood 4.8–5.2 feet tall at the shoulder and weighed up to 1.7–2.2 tons. Both males and females had two horns which were made of keratin, with one long horn reaching forward and a smaller horn between the eyes. The front horn would have measured 3.3–4.4 feet long for individuals at 25 to 35 years of age, while the second horn would have measured up to 1.56 feet long. Compared to other rhinoceroses, the woolly rhinoceros had a longer head and body, and shorter legs. Its shoulder was raised with a powerful hump, used to support the animal's massive front horn. The hump also contained a fat reserve to aid survival through the desolate winters of the mammoth steppe.

Frozen specimens indicate that the rhino's long fur coat was reddish-brown, with a thick undercoat that lay under a layer of long, coarse guard hair thickest on the withers and neck. Shorter hair covered the limbs, keeping snow from attaching. The body's length ended with a 18 to 20 inch tail with a brush of coarse hair at the end. Females had two nipples on the udders.

The woolly rhinoceros had several features reducing the body's surface area and minimized heat loss. Its ears were no longer than 9 inches, while those of rhinos in hot climates are about 12 inches. Their tails were also relatively shorter. It also had thick skin, ranging from 1⁄4 to 5⁄8 inch, heaviest on the chest and shoulders.

The teeth of the woolly rhinoceros had thickened enamel and an open internal cavity. Like other rhinos, adults did not have incisors. It had 3 premolars and 3 molars in both jaws. The molars were high-crowned and had a thick coat of cementum.