The first postcranial oreodont (mammalia, Artiodactyla, Merycoidodontidae) skeleton from Mexico: Description and paleobiological significance

In this study, the first postcranial skeleton of an oreodont (Merycoidodontidae, Artiodactyla) found in Mexico is described and discussed. This family was very successful, quasi endemic of North America, and lived from the Late Duchesnean North American Land Mammal Age, acronymed NALMA (Late Eocene) to the Late Hemphillian NALMA (early Late Miocene), roughly between 38 Ma to 5.2 Ma. Oreodonts were diverse (~27 genera, 69 species), and fairly abundant. However their record in Mexico is modest: two genera in northeastern Chihuahua (Rancho Gaitán local fauna, Late Duchesnean), one genus in Aguascalientes (Zoyatal local fauna, early Hemingfordian), one genus in northwestern Oaxaca (Yolomécatl local fauna, latest Uintan-earliest Duchesnean) and one genus in central Oaxaca (Suchilquitongo local fauna, latest Arikareean-Early Hemingfordian). Therefore, the finding in Tehuitzingo, southern Puebla of an articulated postcranial skeleton referred to the Merycoidodontidae, described below, is quite important and significant.