Paleontologists have unearthed fossilized remnants of the extinct deer species eocoileus gentryorum at an early Pliocene grey fossil site located in northeastern Tennessee, USA. This specimen stands as one of the earliest records of the deer family in North America and is the sole pre-factory record of deer from the Appalachian highlands.
Belize white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus nelsoni) with a woman. Image credit: Charles J. Sharp/CC By-SA 4.0.
“Grey fossil sites continue to unveil remarkable findings that enhance our knowledge of ancient life,” remarked Dr. Blaine Schubert, executive director of the Gray Fossil Site and Museum.
“Our team’s collaboration illustrates a fascinating narrative about how ecosystems have transformed over millions of years.”
“From tapirs and mastodons to these early deer, we reveal the remarkable diversity that once thrived in Tennessee, along with the resilience of deer-like species during this geological epoch.”
In a recent study, paleontologists analyzed fragmentary artifacts—including skulls, upper molars, and various limb bones—of eocoileus gentryorum, an extinct deer species first described in 2000.
Previously, eocoileus gentryorum was known only from Florida; the discoveries in Tennessee are pivotal for understanding how swiftly these early deer dispersed across the continent.
Interestingly, these ancient deer were considerably smaller than most modern species.
“These early deer are generally smaller than contemporary deer species in the New World,” stated Olivia Williams, a paleontologist at East Tennessee State University.
“Today, the only smaller species are the important deer found in Florida and the Brocket deer from Central and South America.”
“Fossil evidence from Washington and Florida indicates that these early deer rapidly diversified and adapted to various habitats, extending from coastal areas to Appalachian highlands after their arrival in North America.”
“Deer have maintained the same ecological role in Appalachian forests for nearly 5 million years, thriving through significant climate and habitat changes that have eradicated other large herbivores.”
The findings are detailed in a paper published in the journal Palaeontologia Electronica.
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Joshua X. Samuel et al. 2025. Early Pliocene deer from a grey fossil site, Highlands, Appalachia, Tennessee, USA. Palaeontologia Electronica 28(2): A36; doi: 10.26879/1560
Source: www.sci.news
