Lot 902
Important and Rare Mounted Skeleton of 30 Million Year Old Mammal, Merycoidon. Merycoidon culbertsoni was a strange early mammal of an extinct group of ruminant known as oreodonts that was only found in North American that had some features like a pig and some features like a camel or deer. Oreodonts are Artiodactyl, which are even toed ungulates. The skull was somewhat pig-like with its enlarged canine teeth but the skull had pits in front of its eyes very similar to a modern deer. While skulls from Merycoidon are found regularly, complete or near complete skeletons are unbelievably rare. This museum quality professionally mounted specimen is 53 inches long with a 7 x 4 inch skull,122631 which is about the average size of an adult Merycoidon. This articulated specimen is completely from one animal and was found in the Brule Formation of Douglas Ranch in Converse County, Wyoming amd is more than 80 percent original bone with the missing elements, mostly some caudal vertebrae and ribs, being expertly cast by a professional paleontoligist. The all important skull is excellent with the most all of its original teeth and is not distored like many found. The mounting is extraordinarily life-like with the supporting rods being put inside the bone and not attached to the outside of the bone. The entire large specimen is supported only by four rods at the base of its legs and all of the legs, skull, body and tail can be easily removed for study and the reattached. Mounted Merycoidon skeletons are missing from most collections whether private or museum. this is a very rare opportunity to purchase an esthetically attractive and important early mammal fossil.
Add $275.00 for domestic shipping.
Estimated Value $10,000 - 13,000.
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| Realized $10,350 |
