Oxydactylus

Oxydactylus is an extinct genus of camelid endemic to North America. It lived from the Late Oligocene to the Middle Miocene (28.4–13.7 mya), existing for approximately 14 million years.[1] The name is from the Ancient Greek οξύς (oxys, "sharp")and δάκτυλος (daktylos, "finger").

O. longipes restoration

Oxydactylus
Temporal range: Late Oligocene–Middle Miocene
Skeleton of Oxydactylus longipes in the Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Camelidae
Tribe: Camelini
Genus: †Oxydactylus
Peterson 1904
Type species
Oxydactylus longipes
Species
  • O. lacota Matthew & Macdonald 1960
  • O. longipes Peterson 1904
  • O. wyomingensis Loomis 1936

They had very long legs and necks, and were probably adapted to eating high vegetation, much like modern giraffes. Unlike modern camelids, they had hooves, rather than tough sole-pads, and splayed toes.[2]

References
  1. Oxydactylus at fosilworks
  2. Palmer, D., ed. (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. p. 277. ISBN 1-84028-152-9.


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