Unprepped Oreodont (Leptauchenia) Skull - South Dakota

This is an unprepped skull of Leptauchenia decora, an Oreodont, from the the White River Formation of Pennington County, South Dakota. The portion of jaw that has been exposed indicates that the bone preservation of the rest of the skull should be excellent.

The skull hasn't undergone any restoration, though some portions of the bone and rock have been stabilized with glue. This specimen would be perfect for someone who's interested in fossil preparation. With the large section of rock attached to the skull, there's no telling what else you may find during preparation. The rock measures 8.1 x 4.4 x 4.3".

Because the eyes and nostrils were placed high on the head, it was long assumed that Leptauchenia was an aquatic or semi-aquatic animal. However, because their fossils have never been found in floodplain deposits or river channels but are found abundantly abundance in fossil sand dunes, paleontologist Donald Prothero suggests that they were desert-dwelling animals. According to Prothero's interpretation, the high-placed eyes and nostrils served to filter out sand while burrowing, or while digging themselves free of sand dunes.