Promerycochoerus macrostegus (Leidy 1858; Early Miocene 22mya; 1m) is a small traditional oreodont from North America. It nests with hippos in the LRT. Note the bowl-shaped cheekbones, perhaps misaligned in a too vertical plane, leaving less room for jaw muscles, as in other related taxa.

Merycopotamus dissimilis (Falconer & Cautley 1847; Middle Miocene to Late Pliocene) was considered an Asian anthracothere, but here nests with Hippopotamus and kin. Note the migration of the orbit posteriorly, the re-appearance of the postfrontal and prefrontal, the massive dentary with massive retroarticular process and the massive dentary canine, as in hippos.

Simbakubwa kutokaafrika (Borths and Stevens 2019; Miocene, 23mya; size) was originally considered a gigantic carnivore, a member of the Hyaeondonta and Creodonta. Here it nests with Hippopotamus and kin. In dorsal view the mandible (dentary) is bent laterally, creating a large open space where the teeth do not occlude. As a result, the tooth crowns are unworn. Relative to the skull size, all the teeth were enormous and they extended far back in the skull. The shearing canines of extant hippos are already apparent here. The authors report, "(dentary is reconstructed with the distal portion medially oriented out of natural position)" and "the coronoid should be interpreted cautiously because it is reconstructed."

It is noteworthy to compare the dentary premolar with the identical one found in the earlier mesonychid, Harpagolestes.

Hippopotamus amphibius (Linnaeus 1758) is the living hippo, not an artiodactyl ungulate. Once thought to be related to whales, like Maiacetus, that relationship with toothed whales was not supported by the large reptile tree. However, hippos are basal to baleen whales like Balaeonoptera by way of transitional taxa that include Behemotops. Hippopotamus is derived from Mesonyx and the Oreodonta.

Compared to Merycopotamus., Hippopoatamus was larger and more bulky overall with shorter, stouter limbs and a shorter tail. The teeth became tusks and the retroarticular process of the dentary curved anteriorly, unlike any other mammal. The diet is completely herbivorous as Hippopotamus inhabits freshwater rivers in warm climates.

Hippopotamus madagascariensis (aka Choeropsis, aka Hexaprotodon; Solweig Stuenes 1989; recently extinct) This taxon first arrived in Madagascar as cargo on a ship arriving from East Africa around the year 1. By the year 1000 to 1500 they all had been butchered to extinction. Selection favored smaller forms. The orbit is not elevated and the ascending process of the dentary is very sharp. Note the straight, rather than convex lower mandible.

Left: Ectocion cedrus (Cope 1882a, e, Thewissen 1990; UM 86155; Paleocene, 50mya)
This genus is known from a fragmentary skull and several partial skeletons. The dental morphology is lophodont with a narrow rostrum. It nests basal to Prodinoceras iand derived from extant Monoelphis sorex.

These two taxa are not congeneric in the LRT.

Right: Ectocion ralstonensis (Cope 1882 a, e, Granger 1915; Late Paleocene; 11 cm skull length) is generally considered a member of the Phenacodontidae, like Phenacodus, but here nests It nests with Eolophiodon in the LRT.

Eolophiodon laboriense (Robinet et al. 2015; early Eocene; MHNT.PAL.2010.19.3.1, scale bar = 5cm) is widely considered a smaller relative of Lophiodon and living tapirs with a very narrow skull. Here it nestsinstead with Ectocion ralstonensis among the hippos.