Desmatochoerus is a large extinct genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 of terrestrial

Terrestrial animal

Terrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land , as compared with aquatic animals, which live predominantly or entirely in the water , or amphibians, which rely on a combination of aquatic and terrestrial habitats...

 herbivore

Herbivore

Herbivores are organisms that are anatomically and physiologically adapted to eat plant-based foods. Herbivory is a form of consumption in which an organism principally eats autotrophs such as plants, algae and photosynthesizing bacteria. More generally, organisms that feed on autotrophs in...

 of the family

Family (biology)

In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...

 Merycoidodontidae, subfamily Merycoidodontinae (an oreodont

Oreodont

Oreodons, sometimes called prehistoric "ruminating hogs," were a family of cud-chewing plant-eater with a short face and tusk-like canine teeth...

), endemic to North America

North America

North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...

 during the middle Oligocene

Oligocene

The Oligocene is a geologic epoch of the Paleogene Period and extends from about 34 million to 23 million years before the present . As with other older geologic periods, the rock beds that define the period are well identified but the exact dates of the start and end of the period are slightly...

-Late Oligocene epochs (30.8—20.6 mya) existing for approximately .

Taxonomy

Desmatochoerus was named by Schultz and Falkenbach (1954) [named as a subgenus of Promerycohoerus by Thorpe 1921 and treated as such by Thorpe 1937; raised to genus level]. It was synonymized subjectively with Eporeodon by Lander (1998). It was assigned to Merycoidodontidae by Schultz and Falkenbach (1954) and Stevens and Stevens (1996).

Morphology

A single specimen was examined by M. Mendoza for body mass and estimated to have a weight of 342.4 kg (754.8 lbs).

Species

D. hesperus, D. megalodon (syn. Promerycochoerus curvidens, Promerycochoerus gregoryi)

Sister genera

Aclistomycter

Aclistomycter

Aclistomycter is an extinct genus of oreodont during the early Chadronian subepoch existing for approximately .Aclistomycter was a very small herbivorous artiodactyl with a short face, small, but tusk-like canine teeth, heavy body, and long tail, short feet.-Taxonomy:Aclistomycter was named and...

, Bathygenys

Bathygenys

Bathygenys is an extinct genus of terrestrial herbivore of the family Merycoidodontidae , endemic to North America during the Late Eocene-Early Oligocene subepochs existing for approximately ....

, Brachycrus

Brachycrus

Brachycrus is an extinct genus of terrestrial herbivore of the family Merycoidodontidae, subfamily Merycochoerinae, endemic to North America during the Middle Miocene to Late Miocene subepochs existing for approximately ....

(syn. Pronomotherium), Eporeodon

Eporeodon

Eporeodon is an extinct genus of oreodont belonging to the subfamily Eporeodontidae during the Oligocene epoch existing for approximately ....

(syn. Hypselochoerus, Pseudodesmatochoerus), Hypsiops

Hypsiops

Hypsiops is an extinct genus of oreodont of the superfamily Merycoidodontoidea, family Merycoidodontidae endemic to North America during the Late Oligocene-Early Miocene epochs , existing for approximately .-Taxonomy:...

(syn. Pseudomesoreodon, Submerycochoerus), Leptauchenia

Leptauchenia

Leptauchenia is an extinct goat-like genus of terrestrial herbivore belonging to the oreodont family Merycoidodontidae, and the type genus of the tribe Leptaucheniini...

(syn. Brachymeryx, Cyclopidius, Hadroleptauchenia, Pithecistes, Pseudocyclopidius), Limnenetes

Limnenetes

Limnenetes is an extinct genus of oreodont, endemic to North America during the Late Eocene-Early Oligocene subepochs existing for approximately .Limnenetes was a herbivore with a heavy body, long tail, short feet, and four-toed hooves....

, Mediochoerus

Mediochoerus

Mediochoerus is an extinct genus of oreodont of the family Merycoidodontidae, subfamily Merycoidodontinae, endemic to North America during the Early Miocene-Middle Miocene subepochs , existing for approximately .-Taxonomy:...

, Merycoides

Merycoides

Merycoides is an extinct genus of oreodont of the subfamily Merycoidodontinae endemic to North America during the Whitneyan stage of the Oligocene-Late Oligocene epochs , existing for approximately .-Taxonomy:...

(syn. Paramerychyus), Merycochoerus

Merycochoerus

Merycochoerus is an extinct genus of terrestrial herbivore of the family Merycoidodontidae , endemic to North America during the Late Oligocene to Early Miocene existing for approximately ....

, Merycoidodon

Merycoidodon

Merycoidodon is an extinct genus of terrestrial herbivore of the family Merycoidodontidae, subfamily Merycoidodontinae ,...

(syn. Blickohyus, Genetochoerus, Oreodon, Otionohyus, Paramerycoidodon, Prodesmatochoerus, Promesoreodon, Subdesmatochoerus), Mesoreodon, Miniochoerus (syn. Parastenopsochoerus, Platyochoerus, Stenopsochoerus), Oreodontoides

Oreodontoides

Oreodontoides is an extinct genus of oreodont of the family Merycoidodontidae, subfamily Merycoidodontinae, endemic to North America during the Late Oligocene-Early Miocene subepochs , existing for approximately .-Taxonomy:...

, Oreonetes

Oreonetes

Oreonetes is an extinct genus of oreodont endemic to North America from the Late Eocene 38.0—33.9 Ma living approximately .Oreonetes was a very small browsing oreodont found in the forest undergrowth in the Western United States during the Late Eocene.-Taxonomy:Oreonetes was named by Loomis . It is...

, Paroreodon

Paroreodon

Paroreodon is an extinct genus of oreodont of the family Merycoidodontidae, subfamily Merycoidodontinae, endemic to North America during the Oligocene-Miocene subepochs , existing for approximately .-Taxonomy:...

, Sespia

Sespia

Sespia is an extinct genus of terrestrial herbivore of the family Merycoidodontidae, subfamily Merycoidodontinae , endemic to North America during the Whitneyan stage of the Oligocene-Late Oligocene epochs existing for approximately .-Taxonomy:Sespia was named by Schultz and Falkenbach as a...

, (syn. Epigenetochoerus), Phenacocoelus

Phenacocoelus

Phenacocoelus is an extinct genus of oreodont of the family Merycoidodontidae, subfamily Merycoidodontinae, endemic to North America during the Late Oligocene-Early Miocene subepochs , existing for approximately .-Taxonomy:...

, Ticholeptus

Ticholeptus

Ticholeptus is an extinct genus of oreodont endemic to North America during the Early Miocene-Middle Miocene epochs , existing for approximately .-Taxonomy:...

(syn. Poatrephes).

External links

• http://www.sdnhm.org/exhibits/mystery/fg_sespia.html San Diego Natural History Museum
  San Diego Natural History Museum
  The San Diego Natural History Museum was founded in 1874 as the San Diego Society of Natural History. The present location of the museum in San Diego's Balboa Park was dedicated on January 14, 1933....
  
  "Fossil Mysteries Field Guide: Sespia californica