Family Camelidae Phylum Chordata Order Even-toed ungulate | Rank Genus | |
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Similar Stenomylus, Procamelus, Even‑toed ungulate, Aepycamelus, Poebrotherium | ||
Oxydactylus longipes prehistoric giraffe
Oxydactylus is an extinct terrestrial herbivorous genus of the tribe Camelini, family Camelidae, endemic to North America Oligocene through the Middle Miocene (30.8–13.6 mya) and in existence for approximately 17.2 million years.
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Taxonomy
Oxydactylus is from the Ancient Greek οξύς (oxys, "sharp")and δάκτυλος (daktylos, "finger").
Oxydactylus was named by Peterson in 1904. Its type is Oxydactylus longipes. It was assigned to Camelidae by Peterson (1904) and Carroll (1988).
Species include O. benedentatus (syn. Procamelus concerptus), O. cameloides, O. campestris, O. lacota, O. longipes (type species), O. longirostris, O. lulli, O. wyomingensis.
Description
They had very long legs and necks, and were probably adapted to eating high vegetation, much like modern giraffes. Unlike modern camelids, they had hooves, rather than tough sole-pads and splayed toes.
Four specimens were examined by M. Mendoza, C. M. Janis, and P. Palmqvist for estimated body mass.