24" Fossil Oreodont (Merycoidodon) Skull with Associated Bones

Fossil Oreodont (Merycoidodon) Skull with Associated Bones #232221

This is a partial oreodont (Merycoidodon culbertsoni) skeleton in situ, collected from the White River Formation of Converse County, Wyoming. This formation is Oligocene in age, making this fossil approximately 32 million years old! In addition to the skull, naturally associated ribs, legs, and vertebrae have also been exposed from the rock. The specimen sits nicely on a flat surface without the need for a display stand.

The skull is in good condition with most of the teeth preserved. The right canine tooth has been restored and there are areas of gap fill restoration throughout the skull. Some of the most prominent spots of restoration on the skull include the anterior maxilla, the zygomatic arches, the nuchal crest, right side of the mandible, and an area superior to the orbitals. There are some spots of gap fill within the rock where it broke during collection and the rock crumbled away. Some of these cracks run through bones, resulting in some crack repair and gap fill. The rock has been shaped and smoothed out to create an aesthetic display.

Measurements:
Entire specimen - 24 x 12.5 x 8"
Skull - 6.1 x 3.8 x 3.3"
Weight - 49.5 lbs

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.