Daeodon

Daeodon shoshonensis · Daeodon was a huge, extinct, pig-like entelodont that lived in North America about 29 to 19 million years ago and was the last known member of its group.

Also called Dinohyus.

It lived about 29 to 19 million years ago.

Daeodon
Photo: Roger Witter, Public domain
Daeodon
Photo: Max Bellomio, CC BY-SA 4.0
Daeodon
Photo: Max Bellomio, CC BY-SA 4.0

Taxonomy

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassMammalia
OrderArtiodactyla
FamilyEntelodontidae
GenusDaeodon
SpeciesDaeodon shoshonensis

Where its fossils were found

North America: the western and central USA (Nebraska, Oregon, South Dakota).

Fun facts

  • Daeodon was the largest known entelodont, with a skull about 90 cm long and a shoulder height of about 1.77 m.
  • Large male Daeodon are estimated to have weighed at least 750 kilograms.
  • Its name comes from Greek words meaning "hostile" or "dreadful" and "teeth".
  • Daeodon had only two toes on each foot, and the bones of its foreleg were fused together.

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Facts and taxonomy adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).