Antifer
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-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.
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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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 Sopas Formation of Uruguay, central Chile, and Argentina.[1] It is known mostly from large, non-palmated shed antlers.
References
- Antifer at Fossilworks.org
- R. L. Carroll. 1988. Vertebrate Paleontology and Evolution. W.H. Freeman and Company