Hypertragulus
| Hypertragulus Temporal range:
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Family: | †Hypertragulidae |
| Genus: | †Hypertragulus Cope, 1874 |
| Species | |
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| Range of Hypertragulus based on fossil record | |
Hypertragulus is an extinct genus of hypertragulid ruminant endemic to North America. It lived from the Late Eocene to the Middle Miocene, living 37.2 to 16 million years ago, existing for approximately 21.2 million years.[1]
Hypertragulus were primitive and ancient ruminants, resembling small deer or musk deer, although they were more closely related to modern chevrotains. Its diet is stated[by whom?] to be that of a frugivore.
Species
[edit | edit source]- H. calcaratus
- H. chadronensis
- H. crawfordensis
- H. dakotensis
- H. heikeni
- H. hesperius
- H. minor
- H. minutus
- H. planiceps
- H. quadratus
- H. sequens
Fossil distribution
[edit | edit source]A partial list of fossil sites:
- Chihuahua, Mexico
- Cedar Creek Formation (Lower & Middle), Logan County, Colorado
- Fort Logan Formation, Meagher County, Montana
- Upper Pomerado Conglomerate Formation, San Diego County, California
- Turtle Cove Member of the John Day Formation, Grant County, Oregon
Palaeoecology
[edit | edit source]Because its fossils are found predominantly in semiarid palaeosols, it is believed that Hypertragulus hesperius primarily inhabited semiarid biomes.[2]
References
[edit | edit source]- ^ PaleoBiology Database: Hypertragulus
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