Merycoidodontoidea

Merycoidodontoidea is an extinct superfamily of even-toed hoofed mammals, commonly called oreodonts. Its members lived in North America from the Eocene through the Miocene.

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Artiodactyla: Artiodactyla is the mammal order of even-toed hoofed animals, including pigs, camels, deer, and cattle. Oreodonts belong to this broader group of hoofed mammals.
Hypsodonty: Hypsodonty is the development of high-crowned teeth that resist wear from abrasive diets. Oreodont teeth vary in crown height, offering clues to feeding ecology.
Eocene: The Eocene is a geological epoch lasting from about 56 to 34 million years ago. Oreodonts appeared in North America during this epoch.
Merycoidodon: Merycoidodon is an extinct genus of oreodonts known especially from Oligocene deposits in North America. It is a classic and historically influential example of an oreodont.
Merycoidodontidae: Merycoidodontidae is the principal family of oreodonts, a diverse group of extinct North American artiodactyls. Most animals commonly called oreodonts are classified in this family.
Dental microwear analysis: Dental microwear analysis studies microscopic tooth-surface marks to infer an animal’s diet and food-processing behavior. Microscopic wear on oreodont teeth helps test dietary reconstructions.
Oligocene: The Oligocene is a geological epoch lasting from about 34 to 23 million years ago. Oreodont fossils are abundant in many North American Oligocene deposits.
Leptauchenia: Leptauchenia is an extinct genus of small oreodonts with unusually specialized skull anatomy. Its distinctive skull illustrates the anatomical diversity of oreodonts.
Oreodont dentition: Oreodont dentition includes low-crowned cheek teeth suited to grinding vegetation and distinctive canine teeth. Their teeth help identify oreodont fossils and indicate a plant-based diet.
Stable isotope analysis: Stable isotope analysis measures isotope ratios in materials to investigate diet, climate, and ecological conditions. Isotopes preserved in oreodont teeth can indicate consumed plants and habitat.