Researchers have recently discovered a new genus of prehistoric deer that existed around 32 million years ago in what is now southwestern South Dakota. These deer, known as santuccimeryx, were hornless and roughly the size of a modern household cat. The study was carried out by a team of researchers from Badlands National Park, the American Museum of National History, and California State Polytechnic University. The fossilized skull found at the park led to the novel findings, which were published in the Proceedings of the South Dakota Academy of Science journal.
The researchers named the newly-discovered deer santuccimeryx after paleontologist Vincent Santucci, who played a key role in shaping the paleontology program at the park. Santucci expressed gratitude for being associated with this important discovery, particularly since it came from the place where he began his career almost four decades ago. The santuccimeryx genus belongs to the Leptomerycidae family, which is now extinct and roamed parts of North America from about 41 million years ago to about 11 million years ago. The deer is considered a close relative of mouse deer found in tropical forests in western Africa and southeastern Asia.
Certain features of the santuccimeryx deer were unlike anything else seen in prehistoric animals. The skull had elements characteristic of different creatures that lived almost 10 million years apart. Dental features also displayed unusual combinations, leading researchers to identify the fossils as part of a distinct species within the santuccimeryx genus. The hornless deer fossil was found in 2016 at Badlands, which would have had a significantly different landscape during the period when the deer lived. The rock formations that eventually became Badlands started being deposited before the santuccimeryx, but the erosion processes that created the current appearance of the park did not start until 500,000 years ago.
The term “genus” refers to a group that includes multiple species. For example, dogs, foxes, wolves, and other dog-like creatures all belong to the canis genus, while humans belong to the Homo sapiens genus. The discovery of the santuccimeryx genus sheds light on the diversity of prehistoric deer species and provides valuable insights into the ancient ecosystems of North America. The unusual combinations of features seen in the santuccimeryx deer highlight the complexities of evolution and adaptation over millions of years. This groundbreaking research contributes to our understanding of prehistoric life and the evolutionary processes that have shaped the animal kingdom.
