# Hypertragulus

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Extinct genus of mammals

Hypertragulus Temporal range: Late Eocene–Middle Miocene PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Infraclass: Placentalia Order: Artiodactyla Family: †Hypertragulidae Genus: †Hypertragulus Cope, 1874 Species See text Range of Hypertragulus based on fossil record

***Hypertragulus*** is an [extinct](/source/Extinction) [genus](/source/Genus) of [hypertragulid](/source/Hypertragulidae) [ruminant](/source/Ruminant) [endemic](/source/Endemism) to [North America](/source/North_America). It lived from the [Late Eocene](/source/Priabonian) to the [Middle Miocene](/source/Middle_Miocene), living [37.2 to 16](https://geoltime.github.io/?Ma=37.2–16.0) million years ago, existing for approximately [21.2](https://geoltime.github.io/?Ma=37.2−16) million years.[1]

*Hypertragulus* were primitive and ancient [ruminants](/source/Ruminant), resembling small [deer](/source/Deer) or [musk deer](/source/Musk_deer), although they were more closely related to modern [chevrotains](/source/Chevrotain). Its diet is stated[*[by whom?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Words_to_watch#Unsupported_attributions)*] to be that of a [frugivore](/source/Frugivore).

## Species

- *H. calcaratus*

- *H. chadronensis*

- *H. crawfordensis*

- *H. dakotensis*

- *H. heikeni*

- *H. hesperius*

- *H. minor*

- *H. minutus*

- *H. planiceps*

- *H. quadratus*

- *H. sequens*

## Fossil distribution

A partial list of fossil sites:

- [Chihuahua, Mexico](/source/Chihuahua_(state))

- [Cedar Creek Formation](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cedar_Creek_Formation&action=edit&redlink=1) (Lower & Middle), [Logan County, Colorado](/source/Logan_County%2C_Colorado)

- [Fort Logan Formation](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fort_Logan_Formation&action=edit&redlink=1), [Meagher County, Montana](/source/Meagher_County%2C_Montana)

- [Upper Pomerado Conglomerate Formation](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Upper_Pomerado_Conglomerate_Formation&action=edit&redlink=1), [San Diego County, California](/source/San_Diego_County%2C_California)

- [Turtle Cove Member of the John Day Formation](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Turtle_Cove_Member_of_the_John_Day_Formation&action=edit&redlink=1), [Grant County, Oregon](/source/Grant_County%2C_Oregon)

## Palaeoecology

Because its [fossils](/source/Fossil) are found predominantly in [semiarid](/source/Semi-arid_climate) [palaeosols](/source/Paleosol), it is believed that *Hypertragulus hesperius* primarily inhabited semiarid [biomes](/source/Biome).[2]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [PaleoBiology Database: *Hypertragulus*](https://paleobiodb.org/classic/checkTaxonInfo?taxon_no=42591)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Retallack, Gregory J.; Samuels, Joshua X. (2 January 2020). ["Paleosol-based inference of niches for Oligocene and early miocene fossils from the John Day Formation of Oregon"](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02724634.2019.1761823#abstract). *[Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology](/source/Journal_of_Vertebrate_Paleontology)*. **40** (1) e1761823. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1080/02724634.2019.1761823](https://doi.org/10.1080%2F02724634.2019.1761823). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0272-4634](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0272-4634). Retrieved 12 October 2025 – via Taylor and Francis Online.

Taxon identifiers Hypertragulus Wikidata: Q5958757 GBIF: 4835229 IRMNG: 1014873 Paleobiology Database: 42591

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