Macrauchenia patagonica. Illustration and photo-reconstruction of an alarmed South American Macrauchenia listening closely to the rustle of mountain v


Macrauchenia patagonica. Illustration and photo-reconstruction of an alarmed South American Macrauchenia listening closely to the rustle of mountain vegetation. Macrauchenia patagonica is a representative of the order litopterna, which were South American ungulates. Most of the litopterna were extinct by the end of the Pliocene, after a land connection to North America brought new predators and competition from new prey. However, Macrauchenia patachonica only became extinct 10 thousand years ago. This ungulate reached metres height at the shoulders, which corresponds to the modern camel, and weighed a tonne. Long and very strong legs ended with three fingers. The remains of Macrauchenias were found firstly in the south-eastern Pampas, but have also been found in Venezuela.


Size: 6496px × 4328px
Photo credit: © ROMAN UCHYTEL/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: american, ancient, animal, artwork, composite, extinct, fauna, herbivore, herbivorous, illustration, litopterna, macrauchenia, mammal, megafauna, palaeontological, palaeontology, palaeozoological, palaeozoology, paleontological, paleontology, paleozoological, paleozoology, patagonica, prehistoric, prehistory, south, ungulates, wildlife