Exquisite 4.1" Fossil Oreodont (Leptauchenia) Skull - South Dakota

Exquisite Fossil Oreodont (Leptauchenia) Skull - South Dakota #217189

This is a beautifully prepared skull from a Leptauchenia decora oreodont, It was collected from the oligocene-aged White River Formation of Pennington County, South Dakota. The preservation of the teeth and bone are quite excellent.

The skull has undergone very little restoration, specifically in the form of gap fill and glue stabilization. This was done to ensure lasting integrity of the specimen and to rectify any damage from the extraction process. All of the teeth appear to be natural and have been masterfully exposed from the rock. This is a truly impressive specimen with a unique skull shape.

Comes with an acrylic display stand to assist with presentation.

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.