Megacamelus

Megacamelus is an extinct genus of terrestrial herbivore in the family Camelidae, endemic to North America from the Miocene through Pliocene 10.3—4.9 mya, existing for approximately 5.4 million years .[1]

Megacamelus
Temporal range: Miocene – Pliocene
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Camelidae
Tribe: Camelini
Genus: Megacamelus
Frick (1929)
Species
  • M. merriami

This was one of the largest species of camelid to roam the Earth together with Megatylopus, Gigantocamelus, and Paracamelus.[2]

Taxonomy

Megacamelus was named by Frick (1929). It was assigned to Camelidae by Frick (1929) and Honey et al. (1998).[3]

Fossil distribution

Fossils have been found from Nebraska to Idaho to Southern California.

References

  1. PaleoBiology Database: Megacamelus, basic info
  2. Zazula, G. D.; Macphee, R. D.; Hall, E.; Hewitson, S. (2016). "Osteological Assessment of Pleistocene Camelops hesternus (Camelidae: Camelinae: Camelini) from Alaska and Yukon" (PDF). American Museum Novitates. 2016 (3866): 1–46. doi:10.1206/3866.1. Retrieved 22 September 2019.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  3. J. G. Honey, J. A. Harrison, D. R. Prothero and M. S. Stevens. 1998. Camelidae. In C. M. Janis, K. M. Scott, and L. L. Jacobs (eds.), Evolution of Tertiary Mammals of North America 1:439-462


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