Merycodontinae

Merycondontinae is a subfamily of pronghorn that arose during the middle of the Miocene and became extinct by the end of that period.

Restoration of Ramoceros and Cosoryx

Merycodontinae
Merycodus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Artiodactyla
Family:	Antilocapridae
Subfamily:	†Merycodontinae
Genera
Cosoryx Merriamoceros Merycodus Paracosoryx Ramoceros

The Merycondontinae were small, slightly built, fast-running ungulates. Both males and females were horned.

The genera Meryceros and Submeryceros are generally regarded as synonymous with Merycodus.^[1][2]

Evolution

Merycodontines were indirectly adversely affected by the expansion of C₄ grasslands in the Miocene because this evolutionary radiation increased speciation among antilocaprines, which likely caused some degree of ecological displacement in the former subfamily. Furthermore, proboscideans may have also contributed to the decline of merycodontines by inhibiting their speciation rate.^[3]