Merychyus arenarum Cope 1884 (oreodont)

Mammalia - Artiodactyla - Merycoidodontidae

Synonym: Merychyus euryops Cope 1899

Full reference: E. D. Cope. 1884. Synopsis of the species of Oreodontidae. Paleontological Bulletin 38:503-572

Belongs to Merychyus according to M. S. Stevens et al. 2023

See also Cope 1884, Hay 1902, Kelly and Lander 1988, Lander 1998, Morgan et al. 2009, Parris and Grandstaff 2003, Schultz and Falkenbach 1947, Stevens and Stevens 2007 and Thorpe 1937

Sister taxa: Merychyus (Metoreodon), Merychyus calaminthus, Merychyus elegans, Merychyus minimus, Merychyus relictus, Merychyus verrucomalus

Subtaxa: Merychyus arenarum idahoensis Merychyus arenarum leptorhynchus

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Type specimens:

  • Merychyus arenarum: AMNH 8146, a partial skeleton (Skull with P3-M3 (lacking portion anterior of P3, and left zygomatic arch), partial mandible with i1-m3, partial radius, partial ulna, partial tibia, and pes el)
  • Merychyus euryops:

Ecology: ground dwelling herbivore

Distribution:

• Miocene of United States (9: Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Oregon, South Dakota, Wyoming collections)

• Harrisonian of United States (8: Wyoming)

• Arikareean of United States (6: Oregon, Wyoming)

Total: 23 collections each including a single occurrence

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Specimen images are retrieved through the ePANDDA API.


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