Merychyus is an extinct genus of oreodont of the family Merycoidodontidae, endemic to North America. It lived during the Miocene, 20.4—10.3 mya, existing for approximately .Merychyus at Fossilworks.org Fossils are widespread through the central and western United States.
Merychyus was a herbivore with a short face, tusk-like canine teeth, heavy body, long tail, short feet, and four-toed hooves. Paleoecology Fossils of Merychyus have been uncovered from Agate Fossil Beds National Monument.Hunt Jr, R.M., 1990. Nebraska and Wyoming; A paleobiota entombed in fine-grained volcaniclastic rocks. Volcanism and Fossil Biotas, 244, p.69. Merychyus was a common prey item for the beardog Daphoenodon, as over half of all herbivore remains uncovered from Daphoenodon burrows at Agate Fossil Beds belonged to Merychyus.Hunt Jr, R.M., Skolnick, R. and Kaufman, J., 2019. The Carnivores of Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. Lulu. com.
Fossil distribution Fossils of the genus have been found in: Arikareean Chalk Canyon Formation, Arizona Diligencia, Sespe & Tick Canyon Formations, California Arikaree Formation, North Dakota John Day Formation, Oregon Delaho Formation, Texas Colter, Harrison & Marsland Formations, Wyoming
Harrisonian Hector Formation, California Agate Springs, Harrison, Marsland & Wildcat Hills Beds Formations, Nebraska Rosebud Formation, South Dakota Delaho Formation, Texas Harrison & Marsland Formations, Wyoming
Other Miocene Cypress Hills Formation, Hemingfordian Saskatchewan, Canada Suchilquitongo Formation, Mexico Barstow, Bopesta, Branch Canyon, Hector, Kramer Beds & Vaqueros Formations, California Browns Park & Pawnee Creek Formations, Colorado Railroad Canyon Beds Formation, Idaho Fleming Formation, Louisiana Runningwater, Sheep Creek, Olcott, Loop Fork, Box Butte, Valentine & Ash Hollow Formations, Nebraska Truckee & Monarch Mill Formations, Nevada Tesuque, Zia Sand & Abiquiu Formations, New Mexico Laverne Formation, Oklahoma Juntura & John Day Formations, Oregon Arikaree & Batesland Formations, South Dakota Goliad Formation, Texas Marsland, Colter, North Park, Arikaree & Carpenter Ranch Formations, Wyoming
References
Bibliography J. Leidy. 1858. Notice of Remains of Extinct Vertebrata, from the Valley of the Niobrara River, Collected during the Exploring Expedition of 1857, in Nebraska, under the Command of Lieut. G. K. Warren, U. S. Top. Eng., by Dr. F. V. Hayden, Geologist to the Expedition. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 10:15-89 Hunt Jr, R.M., 1990. Nebraska and Wyoming; A paleobiota entombed in fine-grained volcaniclastic rocks. Volcanism and Fossil Biotas, 244, p.69. Hunt Jr, R.M., Skolnick, R. and Kaufman, J., 2019. The Carnivores of Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. Lulu. com.