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Creature Feature: Oreodont.


Guest Nicholas

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Guest Nicholas

Note to members:

I will be initiating a different taxon on "Creature Feature" every week, usually posted on Fridays. Members are highly encouraged to post their fossils, articles, and what have you relating to the particular animal. We're starting the first few months with Mammals, to offer something to the vertebrate enthusiasts. The desire is to build a referencable body of knowledge (over time) on each. Make a note that off topic posts are discouraged.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sometimes called a prehistoric "ruminating hog," (although they were neither Ruminants nor hogs), the typical oreodont ("Mountain teeth") was a sheep-sized (though some genera grew to the size of cattle), cud-chewing plant-eater with a short face, tusk-like canine teeth, heavy body, long tail, short feet, and four-toed hooves.

The animals would have looked rather sheep-like, but features of their teeth indicate that they were more closely related to camelids. They were most likely woodland and grassland browsers, and were widespread in North America during the Oligocene and Miocene. Later forms diversified to suit a range of different habitats. For example, Promerycochoerus had adaptations suggesting a semi-amphibious lifestyle, similar to that of modern hippos.

Fossil range: Middle Eocene to Pliocene.

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Mammalia

Order: Artiodactyla

Suborder: Oreodonta

Family: Merycoidodontidae

For further information and a Skeletal picture check out the following link:

EDIT; link fix:

http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fossilhall/Librar...nt/Oreodont.htm

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The link didn't work for me, but I found some good information. A very interesting animal. After reading on mostly Ordovician rock and fossils, the late Eocene/early Miocene (20-35 million years ago) seem almost "recent."

EDIT: The link has been fixed.

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A great feature. (Link didn't work for me either).

A couple of images of fragments of Oreodont jaws with teeth:

post-100-1219503864_thumb.jpg post-100-1219503886_thumb.jpg

EDIT: The link has been fixed.

Besides fossils,

I collect roadcuts,

Stream beds,

Winter beaches:

Places of pilgrimage.

Jasper Burns, Fossil Dreams

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i don't know how i missed this but here is one for now. more to come later. the length is just over 9 inches. Merycoidodon culbertsoni check out the pathology on the lower jaw. a nasty infection of a broken jaw that didn't heal correctly. most likely killed the animal when it got to the roots of the teeth. the pain must have been terrible, amking eating an impossibility.

Brock

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It's amazing what animals can live through though. And its interesting to imagine how he could have broken its jaw in that way.

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Guest Nicholas

Great stuff guys! I love the Skull Brock.

I'll be adding a couple of pics soon as I can find the camera. Limb Bone, Jaw section, Toe bone, and Pelvis Fragment.

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It's amazing what animals can live through though. And its interesting to imagine how he could have broken its jaw in that way.

actually the break on the jaw is length wise. if you look close you can see the build up of rough bone along the break, showing that it heal most of the way from the injury and the infection was secondary to an almost healed jaw. poor guy had a very rough life. the jaw could have been broken due to a fall or a swift kick from another animal, let's say brontothere to make a very interesting story of it.

brock

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I was hoping this thread would get some traction!

I have no oreodont material, and hence no pics to add, but I do enjoy learning.

Keep 'em comin', folks! :D

"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

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Great stuff, folks. This animal would've made a great pet. :rolleyes::)

Probably, but where do you buy Purina Oreodont Chow?

"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

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Great idea, thanks. Always fun to learn more. Nice skull. Poor devil must have been miserable, reminds me of a tooth ache I had once.

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here is a neat little oreodont. it is a juvenile based on the last two sets of molars having no wear, and the epiphyses not being fused to the vertebrae. the coolest part is that it is pink. (it must have been a baby girl ;) ) we found this with the head poking out of the ground and then excavated the rest in blocks from the fractured hillside. after a bit of glue, some bondo, and some work, it is turning out nicely. the posistion is 100% natural with no restoration so far. there will be a little before i am done. it is basically the front half of the body minus the one arm.

enjoy

Brock

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2008082910189767.JPG

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  • 1 month later...

here is the finished product. the only restoration on this guy is the hand. it is made from other real bones and also some sculpted ones.

enjoy

Brock

post-37-1223484445_thumb.jpg

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That's one of those wonderful pieces that evoke an emotional response; the little guy looks like he's struggling to emerge from the matrix.

"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

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Guest Nicholas
here is the finished product. the only restoration on this guy is the hand. it is made from other real bones and also some sculpted ones.

enjoy

Brock

Brock you never cease to amaze me.

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here is the finished product. the only restoration on this guy is the hand. it is made from other real bones and also some sculpted ones.

enjoy

Brock

Wow, that is one amazing little guy. The skeleton really looks alive!

If you believe everything you read, perhaps it's time for you to stop reading...

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