Mylohyus
Encyclopedia
Mylohyus is an extinct genus of peccary
found in North
and Central America
. It evolved in the Pliocene
and its extinction is probably as recent as 9,000 years ago. It would have been familiar with early humans.
Six species were known, the most famous being Mylohyus nasutus, also known as the Long-nosed Peccary.
Peccary
A peccary is a medium-sized mammal of the family Tayassuidae, or New World Pigs. Peccaries are members of the artiodactyl suborder Suina, as are the pig family and possibly the hippopotamus family...
found in North
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
. It evolved in the Pliocene
Pliocene
The Pliocene Epoch is the period in the geologic timescale that extends from 5.332 million to 2.588 million years before present. It is the second and youngest epoch of the Neogene Period in the Cenozoic Era. The Pliocene follows the Miocene Epoch and is followed by the Pleistocene Epoch...
and its extinction is probably as recent as 9,000 years ago. It would have been familiar with early humans.
Six species were known, the most famous being Mylohyus nasutus, also known as the Long-nosed Peccary.