Hypertragulus
Extinct genus of mammals
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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 Temporal range: | |
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Family: | †Hypertragulidae |
| Genus: | †Hypertragulus Cope, 1874 |
| Species | |
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See text | |
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| Range of Hypertragulus based on fossil record | |
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
- H. calcaratus
- H. chadronensis
- H. crawfordensis
- H. dakotensis
- H. heikeni
- H. hesperius
- H. minor
- H. minutus
- H. planiceps
- H. quadratus
- H. sequens
Fossil distribution
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
Because its fossils are found predominantly in semiarid palaeosols, it is believed that Hypertragulus hesperius primarily inhabited semiarid biomes.[2]
