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Extinct genus of deer From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Blastomeryx is an extinct genus of musk deer endemic to North America. It lived during the Miocene epoch 20.4—10.3 mya, existing for approximately 10 million years.[1] There may be only one species, Blastomeryx gemmifer.[2]
Blastomeryx Temporal range: | |
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Reconstruction | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Artiodactyla |
Family: | Moschidae |
Subfamily: | †Blastomerycinae |
Genus: | †Blastomeryx Cope, 1877 |
Species | |
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Synonyms | |
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Blastomeryx was 75 centimetres (30 in) long and looked like a modern chevrotain. Its canines were elongated into tusks which it probably used to uproot plants and fend off predators. While Blastomeryx (as well as modern musk deer) lacked antlers, a Middle Miocene species had bony knobs on its skull, which have been interpreted as incipient horns.[3]
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