Ferocious Merycoidodon Oreodont Skull

Description: I get excited every time a shipment of White River oreodonts arrives. These early mammals were certainly impressive beasts. There is something strong and ferocious that emanates from their physical presence. This one is no exception.

The Merycoidodon has approximately 10-15% restoration. Including repair to one canine and all of the small frontal incisors, about 50% of the sagittal crest, the upper part of the right eye occipical orbit, and a part of the left cheek bone. These reconstructions are generally considered within the acceptable limits for a fossil skull of this size and complexity. Note the mottled and fissured ivory colored bone. Included are three bone fragments in the matrix behind the back of the skull.

Merycoidodon was an oreodont, a (meaning "mountain tooth") and were hoofed herbivorous (plant-eating) mammals. Merycoidodon was a quadrupedal ruminant closely related to camels, pigs, and sheep. The skull was elongated and the upper canines were chisel shaped; the cheek teeth were used for grinding. It could reach a length of 4.5 ft long. It was an Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates). Suborder Tylopoda (padded feet - oreodonts, camels), Family Merycoidodontidae, Genus Merycoidodon, the type species is Merycoidodon culbertsonii (Leidy, 1848). Space does not permit me to expound fully on all the aspects of the White River Badlands and it’s fossil fauna.