Ungulates

Ungulate fossils are perhaps the most common mammal fossils to be found in the Peace River and represent a wide array of species from the incredibly diverse past of the Florida Fossil record. I will break them down by order, in this case Artiodactyls and Perissodactyls. Artiodactyla have an even number of toes while Perissodactyla have an odd number.

Artiodactyla

Deer

Peccary

Perissodactyla

Horses

Tapir

Tapir are pig-like animals that were present during the Pleistocene in Florida and went locally extinct at the end of the Pleistocene approximately 11,000 years ago. While the species present in Florida is extinct there are still 4 species around the world, in Central America, South America and Malaysia. Tapirus veroensis is the most common species found in the Peace River but there are likely multiple species. Upper jaw (maxillary) teeth are wider and closer to squares while lower jaw (mandibular) teeth are more rectangular. They had sharp canines that can be mistaken for carnivore teeth.

A beautifully colored maxillary tooth. The wider side is complete with the narrower side being more worn, this shows the position as being near the back of the upper jaw. Compare with the mandiblular examples below. Scale bar is 1cm

2 more maxillary teeth. The first tooth is from the back of the jaw compared to the second tooth being closer to the front of the maxilla. To determine jaw position look for which of the two cusps is wider. Also of note is how these preserved as just the enamel cap with no root remaining. Scale bar is 1cm

2 mandibular teeth, note the more narrow, vaguely rectangular shape as compared to maxillary teeth. They are often found as individual cusps but a complete tooth contains two primary cusps (humps). Scale bar is 1cm

Tapir P2 ( the tooth first behind the canines). Note the unique shape when compared to the other positions. Scale bar is 1cm