The Ancient Bison, Bison antiquus, was the most common large herbivore of the North American continent and is a direct ancestor of the living North American bison. Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms (as opposed to folk taxonomy). ... Phyla Subregnum Parazoa Porifera (sponges) Subregnum Agnotozoa Placozoa (trichoplax) Orthonectida (orthonectids) Rhombozoa (dicyemids) Subregnum Eumetazoa Radiata (unranked) (radial symmetry) Ctenophora (comb jellies) Cnidaria (coral, jellyfish, anemones) Bilateria (unranked) (bilateral symmetry) Acoelomorpha (basal) Myxozoa (slime animals) Superphylum Deuterostomia (blastopore becomes anus) Chordata (vertebrates, etc. ... Typical Classes Subphylum Urochordata - Tunicatas Ascidiacea Thaliacea Larvacea Subphylum Cephalochordata - Lancelets Subphylum Myxini - Hagfishes Subphylum Vertebrata - Vertebrates Petromyzontida - Lampreys Placodermi (extinct) Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes Acanthodii (extinct) Actinopterygii - Ray-finned fishes Actinistia - Coelacanths Dipnoi - Lungfishes Amphibia - Amphibians Reptilia - Reptiles Aves - Birds Mammalia - Mammals Chordates (phylum Chordata) include the vertebrates, together with... Orders Subclass Multituberculata (extinct) Plagiaulacida Cimolodonta Subclass Palaeoryctoides (extinct) Subclass Triconodonta (extinct) Subclass Australosphenida Ausktribosphenida Monotremata Subclass Eutheria (excludes extinct ancestors) Afrosoricida Anagaloidea (extinct) Arctostylopida (extinct) Artiodactyla Carnivora Cetacea Chiroptera Cimolesta (extinct) Creodonta (extinct) Condylarthra (extinct) Dermoptera Desmostylia (extinct) Dinocerata (extinct) Embrithopoda (extinct) Hyracoidea Insectivora Lagomorpha Litopterna (extinct) Macroscelidea Mesonychia... Families Suidae Hippopotamidae Tayassuidae Camelidae Tragulidae Moschidae Cervidae Giraffidae Antilocapridae Bovidae The even-toed ungulates form the mammal order Artiodactyla. ... Subfamilies Bovinae Cephalophinae Hippotraginae Antilopinae Caprinae A bovid is any of almost 140 species of cloven-hoofed mammals belonging to the family Bovidae. ... Species B. antiquus B. bison B. bonasus B. priscus Bison is a taxonomic genus containing six species of large even-toed ungulates within the subfamily Bovinae. ... In biology, binomial nomenclature is the formal method of naming species. ... Joseph Leidy (1823–1891) was an American paleontologist. ... A deer and two fawns feeding on some foliage In zoology, an herbivore is an animal that is adapted to eat primarily plant matter (rather than meat). ... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ... Species B. antiquus B. bison B. bonasus B. priscus Bison is a taxonomic genus containing six species of large even-toed ungulates within the subfamily Bovinae. ...

During the Pleistocene Ice Age, Steppe Wisent (Bison priscus), migrated from Siberia into Alaska. They descended to Long-horned Bison (Bison latifrons) and lived in North America for 3 million years. About 22,000 years ago, Long-horned Bison died out and gave way to the Ancient Bison. Ancient Bison were abundant 18,000 years ago until about 10,000 years ago, when they became extinct along with most of the Pleistocene megafauna. Ancient Bison is the most commonly recovered herbivore from the La Brea tar pits. The Pleistocene epoch (pronounced like ply-stow-seen) is part of the geologic timescale. ... Binomial name Bison priscus Bojanus, 1827 The Steppe Wisent (Bison priscus) was a steppe bison found on steppes throughout Europe, Central Asia, Beringia and North America during the Quaternary. ... Siberian Federal District (dark red) and the broadest definition of Siberia (red) Siberia (Russian: , Sibir’; Tatar: Seber) is a vast region of Russia and northern Kazakhstan constituting almost all of Northern Asia. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Pleistocene megafauna is the term used to describe the larger species of mammals, birds and reptiles that lived on earth during the Pleistocene era. ... La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles Countys Miracle Mile District. ...

The Ancient Bison was taller, and had larger bones and horns and generally 15-25% larger than modern day bison. From tip to tip, the horns of the Bison antiquus measured approximately 3 feet.

External links

• Ancient Bison foot fossil
• Paleobiology Database - Bison antquus
• Home of Bison antiquus

Sources

• University of Texas
• Montana State University - Bozeman