• Source: Merychyus

Merychyus is an extinct genus of oreodont of the family Merycoidodontidae, endemic to North America. It lived during the Miocene, 20.4—10.3 mya, existing for approximately 10 million years. Fossils are widespread through the central and western United States.
Merychyus was a herbivore with a short face, tusk-like canine teeth, heavy body, long tail, short feet, and four-toed hooves.




Paleoecology


Fossils of Merychyus have been uncovered from Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. Merychyus was a common prey item for the beardog Daphoenodon, as over half of all herbivore remains uncovered from Daphoenodon burrows at Agate Fossil Beds belonged to Merychyus.




Fossil distribution


Fossils of the genus have been found in:

Arikareean
Chalk Canyon Formation, Arizona
Diligencia, Sespe & Tick Canyon Formations, California
Arikaree Formation, North Dakota
John Day Formation, Oregon
Delaho Formation, Texas
Colter, Harrison & Marsland Formations, Wyoming
Harrisonian
Hector Formation, California
Agate Springs, Harrison, Marsland & Wildcat Hills Beds Formations, Nebraska
Rosebud Formation, South Dakota
Delaho Formation, Texas
Harrison & Marsland Formations, Wyoming
Other Miocene
Cypress Hills Formation, Hemingfordian Saskatchewan, Canada
Suchilquitongo Formation, Mexico
Barstow, Bopesta, Branch Canyon, Hector, Kramer Beds & Vaqueros Formations, California
Browns Park & Pawnee Creek Formations, Colorado
Railroad Canyon Beds Formation, Idaho
Fleming Formation, Louisiana
Runningwater, Sheep Creek, Olcott, Loop Fork, Box Butte, Valentine & Ash Hollow Formations, Nebraska
Truckee & Monarch Mill Formations, Nevada
Tesuque, Zia Sand & Abiquiu Formations, New Mexico
Laverne Formation, Oklahoma
Juntura & John Day Formations, Oregon
Arikaree & Batesland Formations, South Dakota
Goliad Formation, Texas
Marsland, Colter, North Park, Arikaree & Carpenter Ranch Formations, Wyoming




References






= Bibliography

=
J. Leidy. 1858. Notice of Remains of Extinct Vertebrata, from the Valley of the Niobrara River, Collected during the Exploring Expedition of 1857, in Nebraska, under the Command of Lieut. G. K. Warren, U. S. Top. Eng., by Dr. F. V. Hayden, Geologist to the Expedition. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 10:15-89
Hunt Jr, R.M., 1990. Nebraska and Wyoming; A paleobiota entombed in fine-grained volcaniclastic rocks. Volcanism and Fossil Biotas, 244, p.69.
Hunt Jr, R.M., Skolnick, R. and Kaufman, J., 2019. The Carnivores of Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. Lulu. com.

Kata Kunci Pencarian:

• Merychyus
• Agate Fossil Beds National Monument
• Merycoidodontoidea
• Popotosa Formation
• Tick Canyon Formation
• Runningwater Formation
• Delotrochanter
• Iron Canyon Site
• Diligencia Formation
• List of the Cenozoic life of Nebraska