View source for Sespia

{{short description|Genus of mammals (fossil)}}
{{Italic title}}
{{Automatic Taxobox
| name = ''Sespia''
| image = Sespia californica in San Diego.jpg
| image_caption = ''Sespia californica'' fossils in San Diego
| fossil_range = Late [[Oligocene]]
| taxon = Sespia
| authority = Schultz & Falkenbach 1968
| type_species = †''Leptauchenia nitida''
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision =
*†''S. nitida''
*†''S. californica''
*†''S. heterodon''
*†''S. ultima''
| synonyms =
* †''Megasespia'' <small>Schultz and Falkenbach, 1968</small>
}}
'''''Sespia''''' ("of [[Sespe Creek]]") is an extinct [[genus]] of [[oreodont]] endemic to [[North America]]. They lived during the [[Late Oligocene]]  26.3—24.8 [[Annum|mya]], existing for approximately {{Mya|26.3-24.8|million years}}.<ref>[https://paleobiodb.org/classic/checkTaxonInfo?taxon_no=42510 ''Sespia'' at fossilworks]</ref> ''Sespia'' was cat to goat-sized and desert-dwelling.{{cn|date=April 2019}} The genus was closely related to the larger ''[[Leptauchenia]]''.
[[File:Leptauchenia.jpg|thumb|left|Restoration of ''S. nitida'' as a semi-aquatic animal, 1913]]
Fossils of the best known species, the cat-sized ''S. californica'', have been found [[California]] and are known from literally thousands of specimens.  The largest species, the goat-sized ''S. ultima'', is known from late Oligocene deposits in [[Nebraska]]. ''S. ultima'' was once placed in a separate, monotypic, genus as ''Megasespia middleswarti''.  Other species were once placed within ''Leptauchenia''.
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
*[http://www.sdnhm.org/exhibits/mystery/fg_sespia.html] [[San Diego Natural History Museum]] "Fossil Mysteries Field Guide: ''Sespia californica''
{{Taxonbar|from=Q7456090}}
[[Category:Oreodonts]]
[[Category:Oligocene Artiodactyla]]
[[Category:Fossil taxa described in 1930]]
[[Category:Prehistoric Artiodactyla genera]]
[[Category:Oligocene mammals of North America]]
{{paleo-eventoedungulate-stub}}