Oxydactylus
Extinct genus of mammals
Oxydactylus Temporal range: Late Oligocene–Middle Miocene PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N | |
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Skeleton of Oxydactylus campestris in the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Artiodactyla |
Family: | Camelidae |
Tribe: | Camelini |
Genus: | †Oxydactylus Peterson 1904 |
Type species | |
†Oxydactylus longipes | |
Species | |
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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").
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/49/Oxydactylus_longipes.jpg/220px-Oxydactylus_longipes.jpg)
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
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