PBDB Taxon

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Desmatochoerus hatcheri

Osteichthyes - Merycoidodontidae

Taxonomy

Promerycochoerus hatcheri was named by Douglass (1907). Its type specimen is CM 1303, a skull (a nearly complete skull with the mandible), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Canyon Ferry Reservoir (24LC18), which is in an Arikareean terrestrial horizon in Montana.

It was recombined as Promerycochoerus hollandi hatcheri by Thorpe (1937); it was synonymized subjectively with Merycochoerus superbus by Lander (1998), Tabrum and Nichols (2001); it was recombined as Desmatochoerus hatcheri by Schultz and Falkenbach (1954), Macdonald (1970), Stevens et al. (2023).

Synonyms

Promerycochoerus erythroceps was named by Stock (1932). Its type specimen is CIT 486, a partial skull (Anterior portion of skull with I1-I3 rt. and C(br.)-M1(br.) (P1-P3 br.)), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Tecuya Canyon, which is in an Arikareean terrestrial horizon in the Tecuya Formation of California.

It was recombined as Hypsiops erythroceps by Schultz and Falkenbach (1950), Stirton (1960); it was synonymized subjectively with Eporeodon latidens by Lander (1998); it was synonymized subjectively with Mesoreodon chelonyx by Tabrum and Nichols (2001); it was synonymized subjectively with Desmatochoerus hatcheri by Stevens et al. (2023).
Promerycochoerus hesperus was named by Stock (1930). Its type specimen is UCMP 27003, a mandible (Partial mandible with p1-m3 (p3, p4 and m1-2 br.)), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is UCMP loc. 7305, Gas Plant Canyon, South Mountain, which is in an Arikareean fluvial-lacustrine sandstone/mudstone in the Sespe Formation of California.

It was recombined as Mesoreodon hesperus by Schultz and Falkenbach (1949), Mason and Swisher (1989); it was synonymized subjectively with Mesoreodon major by Lander (1983); it was recombined as Desmatochoerus hesperus by Stevens and Stevens (1996); it was synonymized subjectively with Eporeodon latidens by Lander (1998); it was synonymized subjectively with Desmatochoerus hatcheri by Stevens et al. (2023).
Promerycochoerus thorpei was named by Koerner (1940). Its type specimen is YPM 13959, a partial skull (Skull, lacking incisors and left zygomatic arch), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Fort Logan, which is in an Arikareean terrestrial horizon in Montana.

It was synonymized subjectively with Eporeodon latidens by Lander (1998); it was synonymized subjectively with Mesoreodon chelonyx by Tabrum and Nichols (2001); it was synonymized subjectively with Desmatochoerus hatcheri by Schultz and Falkenbach (1954), Stevens et al. (2023).

Synonymy list

Year	Name and author
1907	Promerycochoerus hatcheri Douglass p. 104
1930	Promerycochoerus hesperus Stock
1932	Promerycochoerus erythroceps Stock
1937	Promerycochoerus erythroceps Thorpe p. 119 figs. PI. XV, figs. 1-3
1937	Promerycochoerus hesperus Thorpe p. 123 fig. 80
1937	Promerycochoerus hollandi hatcheri Thorpe p. 125 figs. Fig. 82; PI. XIV
1940	Promerycochoerus thorpei Koerner
1949	Mesoreodon hesperus Schultz and Falkenbach p. 151 fig. 20
1950	Hypsiops erythroceps Schultz and Falkenbach p. 121 fig. 9
1954	Desmatochoerus hatcheri Schultz and Falkenbach p. 186 fig. 6
1960	Hypsiops erythroceps Stirton p. 361
1970	Desmatochoerus hatcheri Macdonald
1989	Mesoreodon hesperus Mason and Swisher
1996	Desmatochoerus hesperus Stevens and Stevens
2023	Desmatochoerus hatcheri Stevens et al. p. 60 figs. Figure 42C, 44A-E; Appendix 4B; Table A20

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Rank	Name	Author
kingdom	Animalia	()
—	Bilateria
—	Eubilateria	Ax 1987
—	Deuterostomia
phylum	Chordata	Haeckel 1874
subphylum	Vertebrata
superclass	Gnathostomata
class	Osteichthyes
subclass	Sarcopterygii	()
subclass	Dipnotetrapodomorpha	(Nelson 2006)
subclass	Tetrapodomorpha	()
—	Tetrapoda
—	Reptiliomorpha
—	Anthracosauria
subclass	Amphibiosauria	Kuhn 1967
—	Cotylosauria	()
—	Amniota
subclass	Synapsida
—	Therapsida	()
infraorder	Cynodontia	()

Rank	Name	Author
—	Mammaliamorpha
—	Mammaliaformes
class	Mammalia
—	Cladotheria
—	Zatheria
subclass	Tribosphenida	()
subclass	Theria
—	Eutheria	()
—	Placentalia
—	Boreoeutheria
—	Laurasiatheria
—	Scrotifera
—	Euungulata
—	Artiodactylamorpha
—	Artiodactyla	()
suborder	Tylopoda	()
family	Merycoidodontidae
subfamily	Promerycochoerinae
genus	Desmatochoerus	()
species	hatcheri	()

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

†Desmatochoerus hatcheri Douglass 1907

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Invalid names: Promerycochoerus erythroceps Stock 1932 [synonym], Promerycochoerus hesperus Stock 1930 [synonym], Promerycochoerus thorpei Koerner 1940 [synonym]

Diagnosis

Reference	Diagnosis
C. B. Schultz and C. H. Falkenbach 1949 (Mesoreodon hesperus)	SKULL:Unknown. MANDIBLE: Approximate size and construction of large examples of Mesoreodon megalodon; larger than in average examples of M. ckeeki. DENTITION:Superior series unknown; inferior series similar to large examples of M. megalodon; P 3 with posterior intermediate crest. LIMBS:Unknown.
C. B. Schultz and C. H. Falkenbach 1950 (Hypsiops erythroceps)	SKULL: Larger (known from anterior portion of skull only) than other species of genus, approaching Promerycochoerus in size; nasals moderately heavy and pointed, anteriorly retracted to area above posterior portion of C/ (similar to the holotype of H. johndayensis); anterior nasal-maxilla contact above P 1. MANDIBLE: Unknown. DENTITION: p3 and P 4 with anterior intermediate crest (see discussion following). (Dentition incomplete and poorly preserved.) LIMBS: Unknown.
C. B. Schultz and C. H. Falkenbach 1954	SKULL: Approximately same size and characters as in D. curvidens; anterior nasal- maxilla contact above region of P 1 ; infra-orbital foramen above posterior portion of P8 to anterior portion of P4 ; facial vacuity present; muzzle slightly wider than in D. curvidens; postglenoid process rounded, as wide laterally as anteroposteriorly (differing from laterally compressed process in D. curvidens). MANDIBLE: Approximately equal to that of D. curvidens; postsymphysis below P2. DENTITION: Approximately equal in length to examples of D. hatcheri geringensis, tendency to be slightly smaller than in D. hatcheri niobrarensis, slightly larger than in D. curvidens and D. hatcheri grinnelli. LIMBS:(Unknown).
M. S. Stevens et al. 2023	Largest species of Desmatochoerus (M1-3 length = 63-79 mm).

Measurements

No measurements are available

Composition:

phosphaticsubp

Environment:

terrestrialo

Locomotion:

actively mobilec

Life habit:

ground dwellingf

Diet:

herbivoref

Reproduction:

viviparoussubc

Created:

2005-08-31 14:37:21

Modified:

2005-08-31 16:37:21

Source: f = family, o = order, subc = subclass, c = class, subp = subphylum

References: Carroll 1988, Lillegraven 1979, Hendy et al. 2009, Lander 1998, Nowak 1999

Age range: Geringian or 29.50000 to 24.70000 Ma

Collections (10 total)

Time interval	Ma	Country or state	Original ID and collection number
Geringian	29.5 - 24.7	USA (South Dakota)	Desmatochoerus hatcheri (17505 17593)
Arikareean	29.5 - 18.5	USA (Wyoming)	Desmatochoerus hatcheri (17532 17703)
Arikareean	29.5 - 18.5	USA (California)	Promerycochoerus erythroceps (17701) Promerycochoerus hesperus (17683)
Arikareean	29.5 - 18.5	USA (Nebraska)	Desmatochoerus hatcheri (17475 17711)
Arikareean	29.5 - 18.5	USA (Montana)	Promerycochoerus hatcheri (type locality: 17478) Promerycochoerus thorpei (17509)