Oxydactylus is an extinct genus of laminoid 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").
| Oxydactylus Temporal range:
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| Skeleton of Oxydactylus campestris in the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County | |
Scientific classification 
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| 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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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
edit- ^ Oxydactylus at fosilworks
- ^ Palmer, D., ed. (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. p. 277. ISBN 1-84028-152-9.
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