John C. Merriam | |
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| Born | October 20, 1869 Hopkinton, Iowa, US |
| Died | 30 October 1945 (aged 76) |
| Alma mater | Lenox College University of California, Berkeley University of Munich |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Paleontology, Education |
| Institutions | Carnegie Institution of Washington National Academy of Sciences Smithsonian Institution |
| Doctoral students | William J. Sinclair |
John Campbell Merriam (October 20, 1869 – October 30, 1945) was an American paleontologist, educator, and conservationist. The first vertebrate paleontologist on the West Coast of the United States, he is best known for his taxonomy of vertebrate fossils at the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles, particularly with the genus Smilodon, more commonly known as the sabertooth cat. He is also known for his work to extend the reach of the National Park Service.