Family †Merycoidodontidae | Phylum Chordata Order Artiodactyla Genus †Merychyus | |
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Merychyus is an extinct genus of terrestrial herbivore of the family Merycoidodontidae (oreodont), endemic to North America during the Eocene-Miocene subepochs (35—4.9 mya) existing for approximately 29.667 million years.
Contents
Merychyus was a cud-chewing plant-eater with a short face, tusk-like canine teeth, heavy body, long tail, short feet, and four-toed hooves.
Taxonomy
Merychyus was named and assigned to Merycoidodontidae by Joseph Leidy (1858) and Lander (1998); and to Merychyinae by Parris and Grandstaff (2003).
Morphology
Four specimens were examined by M. Mendoza for body mass and estimated to have a weight of:
Fossil distribution
Fossils are widespread through the central and western United States.
Species
M. arenarum (syn. M. delicatus, M. euryops), M. crabilli, M. elegans (syn. M. jahnsi) (type species), M. major (syn. Merycochoerus californicus), M. medius, M. minimus (syn. M. calaminthus, M. paniensis, M. verrucomalus), M. novomexicanus (syn. Ustatochoerus skinneri), M. relictus, M. smithi (syn. M. calimontanus, Ticholeptus tooheyi), Ustatochoerus leptoscelos