Nexuotapirus

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Nexuotapirus is an extinct group of tapirs that lived in North America during the Late Oligocene to Early Miocene. The genus was named in 1998. The main species, N. marslandensis, was originally placed in Miotapirus, while the other species, N. robustus, was moved from Protapirus to Nexuotapirus because of similarities in their lower teeth. Nexuotapirus shows a mix of old and new features, which makes its exact relationship to other early tapirs hard to determine. Primitive traits include premolars that are less like molars, incisive openings that extend behind the tooth gap, and a braincase that narrows toward the back. More advanced features, similar to modern tapirs, include a nose area that is deeply retracted, a shorter snout, a shorter frontal bone, and a smaller supraorbital process.