The "Hell Pig" was a ferocious animal that certainly earned its nickname. Scientifically know as entelodonts, these creatures bare a supersized resemblance to modern boars and pigs—with a shoulder height of over 6 feet and a couple dozen serrated teeth fit both for grinding plant matter and tearing flesh from bone. During the Eocene and Miocene in North America, this was one beast you didn't want to cross paths with.

Despite their pig-like looks, entelodonts are believed to be more closely related to cetancodontamorphs, a group that includes hippos and modern whales. Either way, at 1,650 pounds, it was certainly a force to be reckoned with even 15 million years after its extinction.

This specimen comes from the lower jaw of an Archaeotherium, a cow-sized species of Entelodont which dominated the plains of North America. It is estimated to be between 23 to 33 million years old.

The specimen comes affixed to a 4x3" display card which contains photos and information about the specimen. The Mini Museum Seal of Authenticity is also included.

During the Late Eocene Era, a new apex predator arose on the plains of Eurasia and North America. Popularly referred to as “Hell Pigs,” Entelodonts (en-TE-lo-don-ts) had enormous jaws which could open nearly 90 degrees. Though not true pigs, Entelodonts likely shared a common ancestor with pigs and peccaries. Still, given that some species stood nearly two meters at the shoulder, it’s not hard to imagine how Entelodonts came by their nickname.

Entelodontidae means “perfect teeth” and the name has more to do with the functional range of Entelodonts’ dentition rather than their intimidating appearance. Their fearsome jaws actually held four different types of teeth, including molars for grinding plants. This suggests Entelodonts were omnivores, eating whatever was available. This would also be the
ideal diet for their preferred floodplain habitat.

It’s unclear what might have caused the disappearance of the Entelodonts, but it was likely related to the end of the Miocene Climatic Optimum. The Miocene Climatic Optimum was a period of extreme global warmth, with averages 4-5 °C higher than today. The period ended with a dramatic and permanent cooling step