1.25" Fossil Oreodont (Merycoidodon) Jaw Section - South Dakota

Fossil Oreodont (Merycoidodon) Jaw Section - South Dakota #300360

This is a 1.25" wide maxilla (upper jaw) bone section from Merycoidodon culbertsoni, an oreodont from the White River Formation of Pennington County, South Dakota. There are two full teeth present which are attached to a small portion of jaw bone.

Artist's reconstruction of Merycoidodon. By Nobu Tamura (http://spinops.blogspot.com) Creative Commons License

Oreodonts are an extinct mammal most closely related to camels and pigs. They have no close relatives living today. They were herbivorous, with short faces and fang-like canine teeth. About the size of a sheep, they roamed the plains of North America in huge numbers during the Oligocene period.