9.9" Fossil Oreodont (Eporeodon) Skull with Atlas Vertebra

This is a beautifully preserved, 8.8" long skull of an oreodont (Eporeodon major). It was collected from the Brule Formation (White River Badlands Group) in Pennington County, South Dakota and would be approximately 30-33 million years old. Unlike most skulls on the market, this skull is approximately 95% complete with very little crushing or bone gap fill restoration. A neat addition to this skull is the preserved atlas vertebra seen at the posterior end of the skull. Typically the vertebrae become disarticulated and lost over the years.

The skull itself measures 8.8" long, but the entire specimen measures 9.9" long. It is accompanied by an acrylic-metal display stand to assist with presentation.

All of the teeth are natural with no repair or restoration, though many have chips missing. The anterior skull is missing portions of the nasal bones, maxilla, and mandible which is quite common considering that would typically be the first area a predator grabs onto to incapacitate their prey. Both zygomatic arches are missing, one edge of the left side of the mandible is missing, and the angle along the right side of the mandible has been restored.