New Genus of Tiny, Hornless Deer Discovered in Badlands National Park

The 32-million-year-old species, named Santuccimeryx, offers a unique glimpse into North America's prehistoric biodiversity.

Researchers identified a new deer genus from fossils found in South Dakota's Badlands National Park, significantly different from modern deer.
The deer, estimated to be the size of a house cat and hornless, lived during the Oligocene Epoch.
Named Santuccimeryx, the species adds to the extinct Leptomerycidae family, relatives of today's mouse deer.
The discovery was made possible by a park visitor in 2016, highlighting the impact of citizen science in paleontology.
The unique features of the Santuccimeryx skull suggest a blend of traits from different prehistoric deer species.