Merycoidodon
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Merycoidodon is an extinct genus of herbivorous artiodactyl from the family Merycoidodontidae, also known by the name Oreodon.
Scientific classification
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumChordata
- InfraclassPlacentalia
- OrderArtiodactyla
- Family†Merycoidodontidae
- Genus†Merycoidodon
Named by Leidy, 1848
Sources: Wikipedia taxobox: Merycoidodon (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Quick Facts
- Type species
- †Oreodon culbertsoni
Facts from the source article.
Morphology
Merycoidodon somewhat resembled a pig but had a longer body, about 1.4 m, and short limbs. The fore limbs had five toes, with the first vestigial, while the hind limbs had four. Limb shape suggests the animals could not run fast. Unlike modern ruminants, they had a full set of teeth, with molars adapted for grinding tough vegetation and strong, striking canines.
The skull has a pit in front of the eyes, similar to pits in modern deer that contain a scent gland for marking territory, implying Merycoidodon may have been territorial. Oreodonts lived in large herds and moved about, favoring well-watered regions with plentiful succulent food. The number of fossils found indicates they were once as plentiful in South Dakota as zebras on the Serengeti and as common in Denver as cattle on Colorado farm range.
More in White River Fauna
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Merycoidodon (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Word definitions: the Codexery glossary, each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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