THE SKULL OF A PLEISTOCENE TAPIR INCLUDING 
DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES AND A NOTE 
ON THE ASSOCIATED FAUNA AND FLORA. 
E. H. SELLARDS. 
CONTENTS. 
Introduction. 
The Tapiridae. 
Skull of the Pleistocene tapir. 
Specific description — 
Tapirus veroensis n. sp. 
Skull characters. 
Dentition. 
Relationship to Pleistocene species. 
Relationship to existing species. 
The Associated fossils. 
Geologic horizon. 
Illustrations: Plates 1-2, skull; 3-4, dentition. 
The tapir skull described in this paper was obtained from Pleis- 
tocene deposits at Vero, Florida. It it exceptionally well preserved 
and, with some other bones and teeth from the same locality, repre- 
sents an undescribed species. The skull was discovered by Mr. 
Frank Ayres and was removed from the formation by Mr. Ayres, 
the writer and others. This fossil was found near the base of the 
stratum or horizon, which in the published section of this exposure 
has been designated as No. 2.* Beneath this stratum is found a 
sand and muck bed, No. 3 of the section. The fairly complete 
knowledge that we now have of the associated invertebrate, verte- 
brate and plant fossils at this locality adds to the interest which 
attaches to this new species. Moreover, while tapirs are known to 
have been rather widely distributed during the Pleistocene period, 
up to this time no well preserved skull has been secured. The recov- 
ery of this skull, therefore, is of great importance, since the actual 
relationship of the Pleistocene species to the recent forms has been 
until now in doubt. The skull was found on the day following the 
close of the conference of geologists and anthropologists held at 
Vero in October, 1916. It became exposed owing to high waters 
* Fla. Geol. Survey, 8th Ann. Rpt., pp. 127-130, 1916. 
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