| Megacamelus Temporal range:
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|---|---|
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Infraclass: | Placentalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Family: | Camelidae |
| Tribe: | Camelini |
| Genus: | †Megacamelus Frick (1929) |
| Species | |
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Megacamelus is an extinct genus of terrestrial herbivore in the family Camelidae, endemic to North America from the Miocene through Pliocene 10.3—4.9 mya, existing for approximately 5.4 million years.1
This was one of the largest genera of camelid to roam the Earth together with Megatylopus, Gigantocamelus, the Syrian camel, Camelus knoblochi, Aepycamelus, and Paracamelus.2 It reached approximately 3.4 m (11 ft) in height.3
Taxonomy
Megacamelus was named by Frick (1929). It was assigned to Camelidae by Frick (1929) and Honey et al. (1998).4
Fossil distribution
Fossils have been found from Nebraska to Idaho to Southern California.
References
References
- PaleoBiology Database: Megacamelus, basic info
- Zazula, G. D.; Macphee, R. D.; Hall, E.; Hewitson, S. (2016). "Osteological Assessment of Pleistocene Camelops hesternus (Camelidae: Camelinae: Camelini) from Alaska and Yukon" (PDF). American Museum Novitates (3866): 1–46. doi:10.1206/3866.1. S2CID 59357054. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
- Prothero, Donald R.; Scoch, Robert M. (2002). Horns, Tusks, and Flippers: The Evolution of Hoofed Mammals. Baltimore: Hopkins University Press. ISBN 9780801871351.
- J. G. Honey, J. A. Harrison, D. R. Prothero and M. S. Stevens. 1998. Camelidae. In C. M. Janis, K. M. Scott, and L. L. Jacobs (eds.), Evolution of Tertiary Mammals of North America 1:439-462
- Data related to Megacamelus at Wikispecies