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© &copyHarry Pristis 2008

Desmostylus hesperus

Harry Pristis

By Harry Pristis

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There is no common name for this Miocene group of mammals which has unknown affinities, unknown origin, and unknown feeding habits. Desmostylians are restricted to the northern Pacific Rim, from Japan to Mexico. (Recent work rejects a questionable record from Florida.)

Desmostylians were probably amphibious, pony-sized with short, stout limbs. They seem to have been able to walk on the bottom, rather than swim, in shallow coastal areas.

Carbon isotope levels have been measured in the enamel of Middle Miocene Desmostylus teeth from California. Isotopic data suggest that Desmostylus was an aquatic herbivore that spent a considerable portion of its life foraging in estuarine and freshwater ecosystems.

Their skeleton has been described as horse-like. Their habitus may have been hippo-like.

These mammals had well-developed, forward-projecting canines and incisors in both upper and lower jaws. Cheek teeth apparently were replaced cyclically as in elephants.

The structure of the cheek teeth is unique among mammals. Each tooth is comprised of a cluster of stout dentin tubes covered with thick enamel. It is this structure that gave the group its name (desmos = chain, stylos = pillar).

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© &copyHarry Pristis 2008

From the album:

TEETH & JAWS

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jbstedman

As always, Harry, your images are spectacular and the commentary very informative. Thanks for posting.

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Guest N.AL.hunter

Guest N.AL.hunter

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So if I understand this correctly, this is one tooth? Not several teeth grouped together. Interestingly weird. I do wonder why they are hollow like that. Doesn't seem to make any sense for them to be that shape.

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Guest

Always loved these ever since I saw one found in CA.... Very interesting group of animals... Thanks for all the information on them...learned more from that than pages of material I had to read through when researching them.

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siteseer

The color of the preservation suggests this is actually from the Temblor Formation of the Coalinga area, Fresno County, CA. The crowns are often that color or darker blue to black. In Kern County you can find these teeth from the Sharktooth Hill Bonebed (and perhaps a bed slightly lower or higher) in the Round Mountain Silt but they are quite rare. Teeth from the STH Bonebed can range in color (off-white to gray-blue; yellow-orange to dark brown) even showing a mix of colors but generally something other than the color of your tooth.

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vincemarkton

collected fossils 20+years and read every thing i could for just as long and never saw one of those...another awesome example of natures infinite variety of ideas in form...wow

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