Megacamelus

{{Short description|Extinct genus of mammals}}

{{Automatic taxobox

| fossil_range = {{Fossil range|Miocene|Pliocene|Miocene – Pliocene}}

| image =

| image_caption =

| taxon = Megacamelus

| authority = Frick (1929)

| subdivision_ranks = Species

| subdivision =

• M. merriami

}}

Megacamelus is an extinct genus of terrestrial herbivore in the family Camelidae, endemic to North America from the Miocene through Pliocene 10.3—4.9 mya, existing for approximately {{Mya|10.3-4.9|million years}}.[https://paleobiodb.org/classic/checkTaxonInfo?taxon_no=42531 PaleoBiology Database: Megacamelus, basic info]

This was one of the largest genera of camelid to roam the Earth together with Megatylopus, Gigantocamelus, Camelus moreli, Camelus knoblochi, Aepycamelus, and Paracamelus.{{Cite journal

| last1 = Zazula | first1 = G. D.

| last2 = Macphee | first2 = R. D.

| last3 = Hall | first3 = E.

| last4 = Hewitson | first4 = S.

| title = Osteological Assessment of Pleistocene Camelops hesternus (Camelidae: Camelinae: Camelini) from Alaska and Yukon

| year = 2016 | journal = American Museum Novitates | issue = 3866 | pages = 1–46

| url = https://digitallibrary.amnh.org/bitstream/handle/2246/6677/N3866.pdf | access-date = 22 September 2019

| doi = 10.1206/3866.1 | s2cid = 59357054

}} It reached approximately {{cvt|3.4|m|ft}} in height.{{cite book|last1=Prothero|first1=Donald R.|last2=Scoch|first2=Robert M.|title=Horns, Tusks, and Flippers: The Evolution of Hoofed Mammals|year=2002|publisher=Hopkins University Press|location=Baltimore|isbn=9780801871351}}