''Miotapirus harrisonensis'' is an extinct species of

tapir Tapirs ( ) are large, herbivorous mammals belonging to the family Tapiridae. They are similar in shape to a pig, with a short, prehensile nose trunk. Tapirs inhabit jungle and forest regions of South and Central America, with one species inhabit ...

lived during the early

Miocene The Miocene ( ) is the first geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and means "less recen ...

Epoch some 20 million years ago in

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

. Physically ''Miotapirus'' was virtually identical to its modern relatives; with a length of 2 m (6 ft 8 in) it was even the same size. Most likely it was also

nocturnal Nocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal", versus diurnal meaning the opposite. Nocturnal creatures generally have highly developed sens ...

and very adaptable.

References

Prehistoric tapirs Miocene odd-toed ungulates Miocene mammals of North America Taxa named by Erich Maren Schlaikjer Fossil taxa described in 1937 {{paleo-oddtoedungulate-stub