Merychyus | |
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M. elegans fossil, Royal Ontario Museum | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Artiodactyla |
Family: | † Merycoidodontidae |
Genus: | †
Merychyus Leidy 1858 |
Type species | |
†Merychyus elegans
Leidy 1858
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Species | |
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Synonyms | |
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Merychyus is an extinct genus of oreodont of the family Merycoidodontidae, endemic to North America. It lived during the Miocene, 20.4—10.3 mya, existing for approximately 10 million years. [1] Fossils are widespread through the central and western United States.
Merychyus was a herbivore with a short face, tusk-like canine teeth, heavy body, long tail, short feet, and four-toed hooves.[ citation needed]
Fossils of Merychyus have been uncovered from Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. [2] Merychyus was a common prey item for the beardog Daphoenodon, as over half of all herbivore remains uncovered from Daphoenodon burrows at Agate Fossil Beds belonged to Merychyus. [3]
Fossils of the genus have been found in: [1]
Hunt Jr, R.M., 1990. Nebraska and Wyoming; A paleobiota entombed in fine-grained volcaniclastic rocks. Volcanism and Fossil Biotas, 244, p.69. Hunt Jr, R.M., Skolnick, R. and Kaufman, J., 2019. The Carnivores of Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. Lulu. com.