Antifer
Antifer | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Artiodactyla |
Family: | Cervidae |
Subfamily: | Capreolinae |
Tribe: | Rangiferini |
Genus: | †Antifer Ameghino 1889 |
Species | |
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Antifer is an extinct genus of large herbivorous deer of the family Cervidae, endemic to South America during the Pleistocene, living from 2.6 Ma to 13,000 years ago and existing for approximately 2.589 million years.[1] Cervids first entered the formerly isolated continent of South America during the Pliocene as part of the Great American Biotic Interchange.
It would have been preyed upon by the dire wolf, the fox-like Theriodictis, saber-toothed cats, short-faced bears and various other predators, including humans.
Taxonomy[]
Antifer was named by Ameghino (1889) based on Captain Antifer in a Jules Verne novel describing his voyage of discovery in the Southern Hemisphere. It was assigned to Cervidae by Carroll (1988).[2]
Fossil distribution[]
The fossil remains are confined to southern Brazil, the of Uruguay, central Chile and Argentina.[1] It is known mostly from large, non-palmated shed antlers.
References[]
- ^ a b Antifer at Fossilworks.org
- ^ R. L. Carroll. 1988. Vertebrate Paleontology and Evolution. W.H. Freeman and Company
- Prehistoric deer
- Prehistoric even-toed ungulate genera
- Pliocene even-toed ungulates
- Pleistocene even-toed ungulates
- Piacenzian first appearances
- Pleistocene genus extinctions
- Pleistocene mammals of South America
- Lujanian
- Ensenadan
- Uquian
- Pleistocene Argentina
- Fossils of Argentina
- Pleistocene Brazil
- Fossils of Brazil
- Pleistocene Chile
- Fossils of Chile
- Pleistocene Uruguay
- Fossils of Uruguay
- Fossil taxa described in 1889
- Taxa named by Florentino Ameghino