''Heptodon'' is an extinct

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

tapir Tapirs ( ) are large, herbivorous mammals belonging to the family Tapiridae. They are similar in shape to a Suidae, pig, with a short, prehensile nose trunk (proboscis). Tapirs inhabit jungle and forest regions of South America, South and Centr ...

-type herbivore of the family

Helaletidae The Helaletidae are an extinct family of tapiroid, closely related and likely ancestral to the true tapirs, which contain ''Protapirus ''Protapirus'' (Latin: "before" (pro), + Brazilian Indian: "tapir" (tapira)) is an extinct genus of tapir k ...

endemic to

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

during the Early

Eocene The Eocene ( ) is a geological epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (Ma). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period (geology), Period in the modern Cenozoic Era (geology), Era. The name ''Eocene'' comes ...

. It lived from 50.3—48.6 mya, existing for approximately .''Heptodon'' at fossilworks
/ref> ''Heptodon'' was about in length, and closely resembled modern

s. The shape of the skull suggests that it probably lacked the characteristic tapir trunk. Instead it probably had a slightly elongated, fleshy upper lip, like its relative ''

Helaletes ''Helaletes'' is a genus of an extinct perissodactyls closely related to tapirs. Fossils have been found in North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. N ...

''.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2669763 Helaletidae Eocene Perissodactyla Eocene mammals of North America Taxa named by Edward Drinker Cope Fossil taxa described in 1882

See also

References