''Merychyus'' 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 ...

oreodont Merycoidodontoidea, previously known as "oreodonts" or " ruminating hogs," are an extinct superfamily of prehistoric cud-chewing artiodactyls with short faces and fang-like canine teeth. As their name implies, some of the better known forms we ...

of the family

Merycoidodontidae Merycoidodontoidea, previously known as "oreodonts" or " ruminating hogs," are an extinct superfamily of prehistoric cud-chewing artiodactyls with short faces and fang-like canine teeth. As their name implies, some of the better known forms were ...

, 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 ...

. It lived during the

Miocene The Miocene ( ) is the first epoch (geology), geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and mea ...

, 20.4—10.3 mya, existing for approximately .''Merychyus''
at

Fossilworks Fossilworks was a portal which provides query, download, and analysis tools to facilitate access to the Paleobiology Database, a large relational database assembled by hundreds of paleontologists from around the world. History Fossilworks was cr ...

.org Fossils are widespread through the central and western United States. ''Merychyus'' was a

herbivore A herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically evolved to feed on plants, especially upon vascular tissues such as foliage, fruits or seeds, as the main component of its diet. These more broadly also encompass animals that eat ...

with a short face, tusk-like

canine teeth In mammalian oral anatomy, the canine teeth, also called cuspids, dogteeth, eye teeth, vampire teeth, or fangs, are the relatively long, pointed teeth. In the context of the upper jaw, they are also known as '' fangs''. They can appear more fl ...

, heavy body, long tail, short feet, and four-toed hooves.

Paleoecology

Fossils of ''Merychyus'' have been uncovered from

Agate Fossil Beds National Monument Agate Fossil Beds National Monument is a U.S. National Monument near Harrison, Nebraska. The main features of the monument are a valley of the Niobrara River and the fossils found on Carnegie Hill and University Hill. The area largely consist ...

. ''Merychyus'' was a common prey item for the beardog ''

Daphoenodon ''Daphoenodon'' is an extinct genus of Terrestrial animal, terrestrial carnivore, which lived in the early Miocene and belonged to the family Amphicyonidae ("bear dogs") of the suborder Caniformia. The species of ''Daphoenodon'' are characteri ...

'', as over half of all herbivore remains uncovered from ''Daphoenodon'' burrows at Agate Fossil Beds belonged to ''Merychyus''.Hunt Jr, R.M., Skolnick, R. and Kaufman, J., 2019. The Carnivores of Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. Lulu. com.

Fossil distribution

Fossils of the genus have been found in: ;Arikareean * Chalk Canyon Formation, Arizona * Diligencia, Sespe & Tick Canyon Formations, California * Arikaree Formation, North Dakota *

John Day Formation The John Day Formation is a series of rock strata exposed in the Picture Gorge district of the John Day River basin and elsewhere in north-central Oregon in the United States. The Picture Gorge exposure lies east of the Blue Mountains (Oregon), ...

, Oregon * Delaho Formation, Texas * Colter,

Harrison Harrison may refer to: People * Harrison (name) * Harrison family of Virginia, United States Places Australia * Harrison, Australian Capital Territory, suburb in the Canberra district of Gungahlin Canada * Inukjuak, Quebec, or "Port H ...

& Marsland Formations, Wyoming ;Harrisonian * Hector Formation, California * Agate Springs,

, Marsland & Wildcat Hills Beds Formations, Nebraska * Rosebud Formation, South Dakota * Delaho Formation, Texas *

& Marsland Formations, Wyoming ;Other Miocene *

Cypress Hills Formation The Cypress Hills Formation is a stratigraphic unit of middle Eocene to early Miocene ageLeckie, D.A. and Cheel, R.J. 1989. The Cypress Hills Formation – A semi-arid braid plain deposit resulting from intrusive uplift. Canadian Journal of Earth ...

Hemingfordian The Hemingfordian on the geologic timescale is the North American faunal stage according to the North American Land Mammal Ages chronology (NALMA), typically set from 20,600,000 to 16,300,000 years BP. It is usually considered to overlap the lates ...

Saskatchewan, Canada *

Suchilquitongo Formation The Suchilquitongo Formation is a geologic formation in Mexico. It preserves fossils dating back to the Neogene period. See also * List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Mexico This is a list of stratigraphic units (groups, formations ...

, Mexico * Barstow, Bopesta, Branch Canyon,

Hector In Greek mythology, Hector (; , ) was a Trojan prince, a hero and the greatest warrior for Troy during the Trojan War. He is a major character in Homer's ''Iliad'', where he leads the Trojans and their allies in the defense of Troy, killing c ...

, Kramer Beds &

Vaqueros Formation The Vaqueros Formation is a sedimentary geologic unit primarily of Upper Oligocene and Lower Miocene age, which is widespread on the California coast and coastal ranges in approximately the southern half of the state. It is predominantly a medi ...

s, California *

Browns Park Brown's Park or Browns Park, originally called Brown's Hole, is an isolated mountain valley along the Green River in Moffat County, Colorado and Daggett County, Utah in the United States. The valley begins in far eastern Utah, approximately do ...

& Pawnee Creek Formations, Colorado * Railroad Canyon Beds Formation, Idaho *

Fleming Formation The Fleming Formation is a geologic formation in East TexasWatson, Geraldine Ellis (2006) Big Thicket Plant Ecology: An Introduction, Third Edition (Temple Big Thicket Series #5). University of North Texas Press. 152 pp. and Louisiana. It prese ...

, Louisiana * Runningwater, Sheep Creek, Olcott, Loop Fork, Box Butte, Valentine &

Ash Hollow Formation The Ash Hollow Formation of the Ogallala Group is a geological formation found in Nebraska and South Dakota. It preserves fossils dating back to the Neogene Period (geology), period. It was named after Ash Hollow, Nebraska and can be seen in Ash ...

s, Nebraska *

Truckee Truckee is an incorporated town in Nevada County, California, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 16,180, reflecting an increase of 2,316 from the 13,864 counted in the 2000 Census. History Name Truckee's ...

Monarch Mill Formation The Monarch Mill Formation is a geologic formation in Nevada, United States. It preserves fossils dating back to the Neogene period. See also * List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Nevada * Paleontology in Nevada Paleontology in Neva ...

s, Nevada * Tesuque, Zia Sand & Abiquiu Formations, New Mexico * Laverne Formation, Oklahoma * Juntura &

s, Oregon *

Arikaree The Arikara ( ), also known as Sahnish,
''Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation.'' (Retrieved Sep 29, 2011) ...

& Batesland Formations, South Dakota * Goliad Formation, Texas * Marsland, Colter, North Park,

Arikaree The Arikara ( ), also known as Sahnish,
''Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation.'' (Retrieved Sep 29, 2011) ...

& Carpenter Ranch Formations, Wyoming

References

Bibliography

* J. Leidy. 1858. Notice of Remains of Extinct Vertebrata, from the Valley of the Niobrara River, Collected during the Exploring Expedition of 1857, in Nebraska, under the Command of Lieut. G. K. Warren, U. S. Top. Eng., by Dr. F. V. Hayden, Geologist to the Expedition. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 10:15-89 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. {{Taxonbar, from=Q16985417 Miocene Artiodactyla Aquitanian first appearances Burdigalian life Langhian life Serravallian life Tortonian extinctions Miocene mammals of North America Arikareean Barstovian Clarendonian Hemingfordian Fossil taxa described in 1858 Taxa named by Joseph Leidy Prehistoric Artiodactyla genera