page_title: Quaternary extinction event
section_title: Neotropic: South America
hierarchical_section_title: Quaternary extinction event / Extinctions by biogeographic realm / Neotropic: South America
caption_attribution_description: Fossil reconstruction of Panochthus frenzelianus
context_page_description: The Quaternary period saw the extinctions of numerous predominantly megafaunal species, which resulted in a collapse in faunal density and diversity and the extinction of key ecological strata across the globe. The most prominent event in the Late Pleistocene is differentiated from previous Quaternary pulse extinctions by the widespread absence of ecological succession to replace these extinct species, and the regime shift of previously established faunal relationships and habitats as a consequence.
  The earliest casualties were incurred at 130,000 BCE. However, the great majority of extinctions in Afro-Eurasia and the Americas occurred during the transition from the Pleistocene to the Holocene epoch. This extinction wave did not stop at the end of the Pleistocene, continuing, especially on isolated islands, in human-caused extinctions, although there is debate as to whether these should be considered separate events or part of the same event.
  Among the main causes hypothesized by paleontologists are overkill by the widespread appearance of humans and natural climate change.
context_section_description: The Neotropical realm was affected by the fact that South America had been isolated as an island continent for many millions of years, and had a wide range of fauna found nowhere else, although many of them became extinct during the Great American Interchange about 3 million years ago, such as the Sparassodonta family. Those that survived the interchange included the ground sloths, glyptodonts, litopterns, pampatheres, phorusrhacids (terror birds) and notoungulates; all managed to extend their range to North America. [3] In the Pleistocene, South America remained largely unglaciated except for increased mountain glaciation in the Andes, which had a two-fold effect- there was a faunal divide between the Andes, and the colder, arid interior resulted in the advance of temperate lowland woodland, tropical savanna and desert at the expense of rainforest. Within these open environments, megafauna diversity was extremely dense, with over 40 genera recorded from the Guerrero member of Luján Formation alone. Ultimately, by the mid-Holocene, all the preeminent genera of megafauna became extinct- the last specimens of Doedicurus and Toxodon have been dated to 4,555 BCE and 3,000 BCE respectively. Their smaller relatives remain, including anteaters, tree sloths, armadillos; New World marsupials: opossums, shrew opossums, and the monito del monte (actually more related to Australian marsupials). Intense human habitation was established circa 11,000 BCE, however partly disputed evidence of pre-clovis habitation occurs since 46,000 BCE and 20,000 BCE, such as at the Serra da Capivara National Park (Brazil) and Monte Verde (Chile) sites. Today the largest land mammals remaining in South America are the wild camels of the Lamini group, such as the guanacos and vicuñas, and the genus Tapirus, of which Baird's tapir can reach up to 400 kg. Other notable surviving large fauna are peccaries, marsh deer (Capreolinae), giant anteaters, spectacled bears, maned wolves, pumas, ocelots, jaguars, rheas, emerald tree boas, boa constrictors, anacondas, American crocodiles, caimans, and giant rodents such as capybaras.
  Several Cervidae spp.
  Morenelaphus
  Antifer
  Agalmaceros blicki
  Odocoileus salinae
  Various Camelidae spp.
  Eulamaops
  Stilt legged llama Hemiauchenia
  Stout legged llama Palaeolama
  All Pleistocene wild horse genera (Equidae)
  Equus (Amerhippus)
  Equus andium
  Equus insulatus
  Equus neogeus
  Hippidion (Onohippidium)
  Hippidion devillei
  Hippidion principale
  Hippidion saldiasi
  All remaining Meridiungulata genera
  Litopterna spp.
  Macrauchenia
  Macraucheniopsis
  Proterotheriidae spp. e.g.
  (Neolicaphrium recens)
  Xenorhinotherium
  Notoungulata spp.
  Hegetotheriidae spp.
  Mesotheriidae spp.
  Mixotoxodon
  Toxodon
  Several Felidae spp.
  Saber-toothed cat (Smilodon) spp.
  Smilodon fatalis
  Smilodon populator
  Pleistocene South American jaguar (Panthera onca mesembrina)
  Dire wolf (Canis dirus)
  Nehring's wolf (Canis nehringi)
  Protocyon spp.
  Protocyon trogolodytes
  Protocyon tarijense
  Dusicyon avus
  Pleistocene bush dog (Speothos pacivorus)
  South American short-faced bear (Arctotherium spp.)
  Arctotherium bonairense
  Arctotherium tarijense
  Arctotherium wingei
  Giant vampire bat (Desmodus draculae)
  All remaining Gomphotheridae spp.
  Cuvieronius
  Notiomastodon/Haplomastodon
  Neochoerus
  All remaining ground sloth genera
  Megatheriidae spp.
  Eremotherium
  Megatherium
  Nothrotheriidae spp.
  Nothropus
  Nothrotherium
  Megalonychidae spp.
  Ahytherium
  Australonyx
  Diabolotherium
  Megistonyx
  Proplatyarthrus
  Valgipes
  Mylodontidae spp.
  Catonyx
  Glossotherium
  Lestodon
  Mylodon
  Nematherium
  Octomylodon
  Orophodon
  Scelidotherium
  All remaining Glyptodontinae spp.
  Doedicurus
  Eleutherocercus
  Glyptodon/Chlamydotherium
  Heteroglyptodon
  Hoplophorus
  Lomaphorus
  Neosclerocalyptus
  Neuryurus
  Panochthus
  Parapanochthus
  Plaxhaplous
  Sclerocalyptus
  Several Dasypodidae spp.
  Beautiful armadillo (Dasypus bellus)
  Eutatus
  Pachyarmatherium
  Propaopus
  All Pampatheriidae spp.
  Holmesina (et 'Chlamytherium occidentale')
  Pampatherium
  Tonnicinctus
  Psilopterus (small terror bird remains dated to the Late Pleistocene, but these are disputed)
caption: Fossil reconstruction of Panochthus frenzelianus with metal model.
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