Family †Merycoidodontidae | Phylum Chordata Order Artiodactyla Rank Genus | |
Similar Merycochoerus, Mesoreodon, Eporeodon, Miniochoerus, Brachycrus | ||
Desmatochoerus is a large extinct genus of terrestrial herbivore of the family Merycoidodontidae, subfamily Merycoidodontinae (an oreodont), endemic to North America during the middle Oligocene-Late Oligocene epochs (30.8—20.6 mya) existing for approximately 10.2 million years.
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Taxonomy
Desmatochoerus was named by Schultz and Falkenbach (1954) [named as a subgenus of Promerycohoerus by Thorpe 1921 and treated as such by Thorpe 1937; raised to genus level]. It was synonymized subjectively with Eporeodon by Lander (1998). It was assigned to Merycoidodontidae by Schultz and Falkenbach (1954) and Stevens and Stevens (1996).
Morphology
A single specimen was examined by M. Mendoza for body mass and estimated to have a weight of 342.4 kg (754.8 lbs).
Fossil distribution
Fossils have been uncovered in several locations in the western U.S.
Species
D. hesperus, D. megalodon (syn. Promerycochoerus curvidens, Promerycochoerus gregoryi)
Sister genera
Aclistomycter, Bathygenys, Brachycrus (syn. Pronomotherium), Eporeodon (syn. Hypselochoerus, Pseudodesmatochoerus), Hypsiops (syn. Pseudomesoreodon, Submerycochoerus), Leptauchenia (syn. Brachymeryx, Cyclopidius, Hadroleptauchenia, Pithecistes, Pseudocyclopidius), Limnenetes, Mediochoerus, Merycoides (syn. Paramerychyus), Merycochoerus, Merycoidodon (syn. Blickohyus, Genetochoerus, Oreodon, Otionohyus, Paramerycoidodon, Prodesmatochoerus, Promesoreodon, Subdesmatochoerus), Mesoreodon, Miniochoerus (syn. Parastenopsochoerus, Platyochoerus, Stenopsochoerus), Oreodontoides, Oreonetes, Paroreodon, Sespia, (syn. Epigenetochoerus), Phenacocoelus, Ticholeptus (syn. Poatrephes).