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RARE PLATYGONUS PLEISTOCENE PECCARY FOSSIL HOOF Citrus County - Florida, U.S.A. MIDDLE (RANCHOLABREAN AGE) TO LATE PLEISTOCENE PERIOD: 300,000 to 10,000 years ago This is a rare fossil that is seldom found - a PERFECT AND COMPLETE hoof from a North American peccary, an extinct animal resembling a large wild boar that lived in the southeastern United States during the last North American Ice Age. The species of peccary this fossil came from is called Platygonus compressus. There is no repair and no restoration on this fine example of this uncommon fossil, especially in this condition. The hoof is far better than it appears in the photos and has the quality of preservation that looks as if the animal lived just yesterday rather than from the days of the famous La Brea tar pits! An unique fossil hoof and perfect for the advanced collection of fossil claws and hoofs from extinct fauna. Peccaries are omnivores and members of the family Tayassuidae. They originated in North America in the late Eocene with only a few species surviving today in the southwestern United States and in Central and South America. These animals are descendants of larger extinct species that once inhabited the United States to a broader scale including the lush environment of Florida. There are two genera of peccaries that have been identified as thriving in Florida from the late Pliocene to the mysterious large extinction at the end of the Pleistocene. These are PLATYGONUS and MYLOHYUS. Both had longer limbs than do modern peccaries that survive today. Mylohyus was a more streamlined peccary in comparison to Platygonus and survived until the end of the Pleistocene in far greater numbers than Platygonus. Earlier in the Pleistocene, Florida was much drier with more open plains and scrub-type vegetation. The stouter denary and skull of Platygonus was more adapted to chewing coarse vegetation. As the climate changed and the Florida prairies were transformed into dense woodlands, Mylohyus was better suited for survival eating more succulent vegetation along with fruit, nuts and berries. The peccary has long, triangular canines on the upper and lower jaw. The lower canines extend in front of the uppers when the jaws are closed. Unlike pigs, peccaries chew only in an up and down manner and as the jaws move up and down, these canines abrade against each other keeping the tips constantly sharp. PERFECT COMPLETE SPECIMEN - FROM THE SAME PERIOD AS THE FAMOUS LA BREA TAR PITS 1.2" in length $85 LM14-007 INCLUDES DISPLAY BOX Actual Item - One Only |
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