5.9" Fossil Juvenile Oreodont (Merycoidodon) Skull - South Dakota

Fossil Juvenile Oreodont (Merycoidodon) Skull - South Dakota #302864

This is a 5.9" long skull of a juvenile oreodont (Merycoidodon culbertsoni), collected from the White River Formation (Brule subunit) in South Dakota and would be approximately 30-33 million years old. This skull is approximately 80% complete with natural, unrestored teeth.

It is accompanied by an acrylic display stand to assist with presentation.

The right zygomatic arch has been restored with restoration continuing up and over the posterior-superior edge (supraoccipital/nuchal crest) of the skull. The right supraorbital has also been restored.

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.