Macraucheniidae

Skeleton of Macrauchenia patachonica

The Macraucheniidae are an extinct family of Säugetierordung Litopterna who has lived in South America during the Cenozoic era and whose last representatives have become extinct at the end of the Pleistocene.

The Macraucheniidae can be divided into three subfamilies and 16 genera divided. All known forms were medium to very large. In terms of cranial structure and bite the Macraucheniidae were less advanced than those related to them Proterotheriiden. Typical is a shift back to the Nasenöffung center of skull and a complete dental formula. One knows the remains of this family from Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile and Colombia. The family has been demonstrated since the upper Paleocene. With Macraucheniopsis ensenadensis ( Ensenadan ) and Macrauchenia patachonica ( Ensenandan to Lujanian ) the family is occupied by Pleistocene. Sometimes, another Pleistocene form Xenorhinotherium bahiense from northeastern Brazil and Venezuela distinguished. This is, however, considered by other authors as identical with Machrauchenia patachonica