4.5" wide, 8" long, 4.5" tall fossilized skull from a member of the now-extinct suborder Oreodonta, Merycoidodontoidea, a family of prehistoric cud-chewing plant-eaters w/short faces and fang-like canine teeth. Generally hog-like, the group was once thought to be a member of Suina, the pigs, peccaries and their ancestors, though recent work indicates they were more closely related to camels. Most oreodonts were sheep-sized, though some genera grew to the size of cattle. They were heavy bodied, w/short four-toed hooves. Unlike modern ruminants, they had long tails. They were most likely woodland and grassland browsers, and were widespread in North America during the Oligocene and early Miocene, 35-13 million years ago. This specimen comes from the Dakota Badlands. Skull has scattered all-over cracks, from the pressures of fossilization and has some scattered restoration. Back corners of mandibles missing, but rest of jaws and all teeth are present, w/one canine tooth tip chipped. Still makes for a great prehistoric fossil display. From the Robert M. Overstreet Collection and comes with COA.