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Skeleton of Theosodon (Macraucheniidae)Historic life restoration of Thoatherium (Proterotheriidae)
The body forms of many litopterns, notably in the limb and skull structure, are broadly similar to those of living ungulates, unlike other South American native ungulate groups, which are often strongly divergent from living ungulates.[3] Paleocene and Eocene litopterns generally had small body masses, with Protolipterna (Protolipternidae) estimated to have had a body mass of 0.5–1.5 kilograms (1.1–3.3 lb), though the Eocene sparnotheriodontids were considerably larger, with estimated body masses of around 400 kilograms (880 lb). Most proterotheriids had body masses of around 15 to 80 kilograms (33 to 176 lb) while many macraucheniids had body masses of around 80–120 kilograms (180–260 lb). Some of the last macraucheniids like Macrauchenia were considerably larger, with body masses around a ton.[1]Adianthidae generally had small body masses, with members of the genus Adianthus estimated to weigh 7.4–20 kilograms (16–44 lb). Members of the proterotheriid subfamily Megadolodinae are noted for having bunodont (rounded cusp) molar teeth, which is largely unique to litopterns among South American native ungulates.[2][1] Litopterns of the mid-late Cenozoic had hinge-like limb joints and hooves similar to those of modern ungulates, with the weight being supported on three toes in macraucheniids and one in proterotheriids, with the protherotheriid Thoatherium developing greater toe reduction than that present in living horses.[1] Macraucheniids had long necks and limbs.[4]
Members of the macraucheniid subfamily Macraucheniinae saw the progressive migration of the nasal opening to the top of the skull,[5] which was often historically suggested to indicate the presence of a trunk, though other authors have suggested that a moose-like prehensile lip,[6] or a saiga-like nose to filter dust[7] are more likely.
Skulls of the macraucheniids (A) Theosodon, (B) Scalabrinitherium, (C) Macrauchenia, portraying how the nasal bones shifted backwards on the skull, with the nasal opening following suit.
Litopterns were likely hindgut fermenters.[3] At least some macraucheniids like Macrauchenia are suggested to have been mixed feeders feeding on both browse and grass.[8] Sparnotheriodontids are suggested to have been browsers.[9] Some proterotheriids are suggested to have been browsers,[10] while some members proterotheriid subfamily Megadolodinae like Megadolodus have been suggested to have been omnivorous with at least part of their diet consisting of hard fruit.[2]
Litopterna, like other "South American native ungulates" is thought to have originated from groups of archaic "condylarths" that migrated from North America.[1] Sequencing of the collagenproteome and mitochondrial genome of Macrauchenia has revealed that litopterns are true ungulates, sharing a common ancestor with Notoungulata, and with their closest living relatives being Perissodactyla (the group containing living equines, rhinoceros and tapirs) as part of the clade Panperissodactyla, with the split from Perissodactyla being estimated at around 66 million years ago.[11][12] The relationship of Litopterna to other South American native ungulate groups is uncertain, though it may be closely related to the "condylarth" group Didolodontidae.[1] The earliest litopterns appeared during the early Paleocene, around 62.5 million years ago.[13]
Aside from South America, sparnotheriodontids are also known from the Eocene aged La Meseta Formation in the Antarctic Peninsula, representing the only record of litopterns on the Antarctic continent. Litopterns declined during the Pliocene and Pleistocene, likely as a result of climatic change and competition with recently immigrated North American ungulates who arrived as part of the Great American interchange, following the connection of the previously isolated North and South America via the Isthmus of Panama.[1]Macrauchenia,Xenorhinotherium (Macraucheniidae) and Neolicaphrium (Proterotheriidae) were the last surviving genera of litopterns. All became extinct at the end of the Late Pleistocene around 12,000 years ago as part of the end-Pleistocene extinction event, along with most other large mammals in the Americas, co-inciding with the arrival of the first humans to the continent.[4] A study in 2025 suggested that Xenorhinotherium may have survived until the late Holocene based on a specimen radiocarbon dated to 3,493–4,217 years cal.Before Present (BP).[14] It is possible that hunting had a causal role in their extinction.[15][16][17][1]
McKenna, Malcolm C; Bell, Susane K (1997). Classification of Mammals Above the Species Level. New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN978-0-231-11013-6.
Litopterna is an extinct order of South American native ungulates (SANUs), comprising herbivorous placental mammals that originated in the Paleocene and persisted until the late Pleistocene, occupying diverse ecological niches across South America.[1] These animals exhibited remarkable morphological convergence with northern hemisphere ungulates, such as equids and camelids, despite their independent evolutionary history, featuring adaptations like elongated limbs for cursorial locomotion, hoof-like phalanges, and selenodont dentition suited for browsing or grazing.[2] Litopterna represents one of the most diverse SANU clades after Notoungulata, with body sizes ranging from under 1 kg in early forms to several tons in later giants, and it played a key role in the Cenozoic radiation of South American mammals during a period of isolation from other continents.[3]The order diversified significantly during the Eocene and Oligocene, giving rise to major families such as Proterotheriidae, which included small to medium-sized, horse-like forms with mesaxonic feet and reduced lateral metapodials, and Macraucheniidae, known for larger, long-necked taxa resembling camels or llamas, such as Macrauchenia patachonica, which survived into the Pleistocene.[1] Recent phylogenetic analyses, including a 2024 dentition-based study, place Litopterna as part of Pan-Perissodactyla, sister to crown-group Perissodactyla (odd-toed ungulates), supported by shared traits like a saddle-shaped navicular facet in the ankle and twinned metaconids in the lower molars, though molecular evidence from ancient collagen further refines their position within this clade.[2][4] Early litopterns, such as those from the Paleocene, displayed conservative dental morphologies, but later evolution emphasized locomotor specializations for open habitats, with some genera like Neolicaphrium recens enduring until the late Pleistocene in southern South America.[3]Litopterns contributed to the unique megafaunal assemblages of South America, filling roles as terrestrial herbivores in forests, grasslands, and savannas, with dietary inferences from tooth wear indicating a shift from folivory to more abrasive grasses in some lineages.[1] Their extinction at the Pleistocene-Holocene boundary, around 12,000–10,000 years ago, coincided with the arrival of humans and climatic fluctuations, marking the end of SANU dominance and aligning with broader megafaunal losses across the Americas.[3] Fossil discoveries, including exceptional skulls and postcrania from sites in Argentina and beyond, continue to illuminate their anatomy and paleobiology, with recent finds such as Miocene remains from Colombia expanding the known distribution and ecological diversity; these underscore Litopterna's significance in understanding isolated mammalian evolution.[1][5]
Overview
Definition and characteristics
Litopterna is an extinct order of endemic South American native ungulates (SANUs), a group of placental mammals that evolved in isolation on the continent during much of the Cenozoic era. Unlike northern hemisphere ungulates such as perissodactyls and artiodactyls, litopterns represent a distinct evolutionary lineage, though later forms exhibited remarkable convergent evolution, developing similar adaptations like cursorial limbs for speed and selenodont teeth, with increasing crown heights in later forms for processing abrasive vegetation. This order is characterized by its diversity in form, ranging from early Paleocene origins to late Pleistocene survival, filling ecological roles analogous to those of horses, camels, and other hoofed mammals elsewhere.[2]Key morphological traits of litopterns include mesaxonic feet, where the axis of support passes through the middle toe, typically resulting in three-toed or four-toed configurations with reduced lateral digits. These feet, combined with specialized ankle joints featuring a symmetric trochlea on the astragalus and a saddle-shaped navicular facet, facilitated agile, cursorial locomotion suited to open terrains. Additionally, litopterns often had a reduced or absent clavicle (collar bone), enhancing forelimb mobility, and hoof-like phalanges on their digits, further emphasizing their ungulate-like adaptations despite their unrelated ancestry.[6][2]Convergent evolution is particularly evident in major litoptern families. Proterotheriids, for instance, developed elongated limbs and a trend toward functional monodactyly, resembling primitive horses in their build for swift running across grasslands. In contrast, macraucheniids evolved longer necks, humped shoulders, and robust three-toed feet, echoing camelid morphology for endurance in varied habitats. Body plans varied widely, from small, dog-sized early forms weighing around 10 kg to massive, elephant-sized late species exceeding 1,200 kg, with most being herbivorous browsers or grazers; however, primitive litopterns showed omnivorous tendencies, inferred from bunodont dentition capable of processing harder foods like fruits.[6][7][2]
Temporal and geographic distribution
Litopterna fossils span a temporal range from the early Paleocene, approximately 62.5 million years ago (Ma), to the late Pleistocene-early Holocene around 12,000 years ago, marking one of the longest durations among South American native ungulates.[4] The order achieved its peak diversity during the Eocene to Miocene epochs, with numerous genera and species documented across multiple families, particularly in the early to late Miocene when proterotheriids and macraucheniids proliferated.[8][9]Geographically, Litopterna were endemic to South America, with fossil occurrences primarily in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, and Uruguay, reflecting their adaptation to diverse continental environments from tropical forests to open grasslands.[10] Rare Eocene finds in Antarctica, such as from the La Meseta Formation on the Antarctic Peninsula, indicate early Gondwanan connections before the full isolation of South America.[11]Key fossil sites include the Ituzaingó Formation in Argentina, dating to the Miocene-Pliocene boundary, which has yielded diverse litoptern remains including multiple macraucheniid species.[12] The early Miocene deposits of Santa Cruz Province, Argentina, associated with the Santacrucian South American Land Mammal Age (SALMA), preserve abundant proterotheriid and macraucheniid fossils that highlight the order's morphological variation.[13] More recently, Miocene discoveries from Colombia, including new litoptern material from the La Venta fauna reported in 2025, extend the known northern range and provide insights into pre-interchange ecosystems.[5]Distribution patterns show Litopterna were initially widespread across southern continents in the Paleogene, facilitated by Gondwanan land connections, but underwent a contraction southward following the Great American Biotic Interchange (GABI) around 3 Ma, when northern migrations of North American taxa contributed to their decline and eventual extinction.[14][15]
Anatomy and morphology
Skeletal structure
Litopterns exhibited a range of skeletal adaptations suited to terrestrial locomotion, with elongated limbs, reduced clavicles allowing greater shoulder mobility, and robust skulls featuring prominent nasal structures in certain lineages. In macraucheniids such as Macrauchenia patachonica, the nasals were extremely retracted, positioning the nasal openings dorsally on the skull and suggesting a possible soft-tissue proboscis-like structure for browsing.[16][17] These features contributed to a body plan convergent with perissodactyls, emphasizing cursoriality and efficient weight distribution across open habitats.[18]Recent high-resolution X-ray computed tomography studies have revealed details of the intracranial anatomy in macraucheniids, such as Oxyodontherium zeballosi. The endocast shows a relatively small brain with expanded olfactory bulbs, suggesting enhanced olfactory capabilities, and a narrow interorbital constriction indicative of large optic nerves for improved vision in open environments. These features align with adaptations for cursorial lifestyles in diverse habitats.[12]The limb anatomy of litopterns was characterized by mesaxonic feet, where the central digit (III) bore the primary weight, accompanied by reduced lateral digits (II and IV) and absent first and fifth metapodials, culminating in hoof-like ungual phalanges. The astragalus featured a narrow, deep trochlea with a pulley-like morphology, facilitating smooth ankle flexion and extension akin to that in equids, while the calcaneum interlocked with an angular posterior astragalar facet for stability during rapid movement. Forelimb elements, including a humerus with a non-prominent deltopectoral crest restricted to the proximal half and a fused radius-ulna, further supported parasagittal motion and restricted pronation-supination, enhancing stride efficiency in cursorialspecies like proterotheriids. Hindlimbs showed similar fusions, such as tibia-fibula, promoting vertical limb orientation and shock absorption.[18][19][20]Body size among litopterns varied significantly, reflecting ecological diversification from small, agile forms to larger, more robust ones. Early and smaller taxa, such as Lambdaconus colombianus in the proterotheriid lineage, weighed approximately 10 kg, while larger macraucheniids like Diplasiotherium robustum reached up to 395 kg, with Macrauchenia and Theosodon approaching 500 kg based on limb bone scaling. These size differences correlated with locomotor strategies, where smaller forms emphasized speed and larger ones balanced stability for browsing.[21][22]The axial skeleton displayed variation across litoptern families, particularly in the cervical region, influencing posture and feeding height. Proterotheriids possessed relatively short cervical vertebrae, supporting a more horizontal, cursorial posture suited to grazing in open terrains. In contrast, macraucheniids like Macrauchenia had enlarged and elongated cervical vertebrae, enabling a longer neck for elevated browsing and greater maneuverability. Thoracic vertebrae, such as the second in small macraucheniids, featured posteriorly inclined spinous processes and costal foveae for robust rib articulation, aiding in load-bearing for larger body masses.[16][19]
Dentition and adaptations
The dentition of Litopterna exhibits significant variation across its evolutionary history, reflecting adaptations to diverse ecological niches. Early Paleocene to Eocene litoptern forms, such as those in the Protolipternidae, possessed bunodont molars with low, rounded cusps and sectorial premolars suited for piercing and slicing vegetation. Related archaic groups like Didolodontidae shared similar primitive dental features.[23] By the Oligocene, transitional taxa showed initial loph development, while Miocene and later representatives evolved more complex morphologies. Advanced litopterns, particularly in the Proterotheriidae and Macraucheniidae, developed lophate molars with transverse crests for enhanced grinding efficiency, converging on patterns seen in artiodactyl ruminants.[4]Specific dental adaptations underscore the group's response to changing environments. In Miocene proterotheriids, hypsodont (high-crowned) molars emerged, with crown heights increasing to resist abrasion from gritty forage like grasses, as evidenced by hypsodonty indices exceeding 1.0 in taxa such as Neolicaphrium.[5] A prominent diastema separated the incisors from the cheek teeth in most litopterns, facilitating cropping of vegetation similar to modern ungulates. Some macraucheniids, including Macrauchenia, featured ever-growing incisors that continuously erupted to maintain functionality against wear, an adaptation paralleled in certain rodents and notoungulates.[24]Cranial and mandibular features complemented these dental traits. Litopterns typically displayed large diastemata in both upper and lower jaws, with robust mandibles supporting forceful mastication in larger forms. Premolar counts varied between four and five, allowing flexibility in occlusal patterns, while advanced taxa like late Miocene proterotheriids showed selenodont tendencies, with crescent-shaped cusps on molars enhancing shear during chewing.[7] These structures collectively supported efficient processing of fibrous plant material.Inferences from dental morphology indicate a dietary progression from browsing in low-crowned early forms, which likely consumed soft leaves and fruits, to mixed feeding and grazing in post-Eocene hypsodont taxa adapted to abrasive C4 grasses during the Miocene expansion of open habitats. Microwear analysis of proterotheriid molars reveals scratch-dominated patterns consistent with grass consumption, while stable isotope data from enamel supports a C3-C4 mixed diet in Pleistocene survivors like Neolicaphrium.[25]
Evolutionary history
Origins and early forms
Litopterna likely originated in the early Paleocene, around 64 million years ago, from small archaic ungulates known as "condylarths" that dispersed to South America from North America near the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) boundary.[4] These progenitors were probably insectivorous to omnivorous mammals adapted to forested environments, exhibiting primitive bunodont dentition suitable for a varied diet including insects and soft plant matter.[1] As part of the broader South American native ungulates (SANU), Litopterna shared ancestry from northern condylarth immigrants with clades like Notoungulata, though their exact interrelationships remain debated, with some analyses suggesting a common origin from mioclaenid-like condylarths.[26]The earliest known litopterns belong to the family Protolipternidae, represented by taxa such as Protolipterna ellipsodontoides from the early Eocene Itaboraian South American Land Mammal Age (SALMA), approximately 53 million years ago, at sites like Itaboraí in Brazil.[4] These primitive forms were small-bodied, with estimated masses of 0.5–1.5 kg, and possessed simple bunodont molars with low, rounded cusps, reflecting an opportunistic feeding strategy rather than specialized herbivory.[4] Although early litoptern dentition showed affinities to didolodontids—another SANU group—their molars lacked the pronounced shearing crests of later forms, indicating a basal position within the order.During the Eocene, litopterns underwent an initial radiation, particularly in Patagonia and the Andean regions, where the family Adianthidae emerged with transitional dental and locomotor traits bridging primitive and more derived ungulate-like adaptations. Recent phylogenetic analyses (2024) support Litopterna's monophyly, comprising four families, with Adianthidae representing an early transitional group.[4][1] Taxa such as Indalecia grandensis from early Eocene deposits (~52–50 Ma) in northwestern Argentina exemplify this phase, featuring trilobate lower molars and early developments in cursorial limb structure for navigating forested habitats.[4] These forms remained relatively small and generalized, with body sizes up to a few kilograms, allowing exploitation of understory niches.The condylarth-grade ancestors of litopterns survived the K-Pg mass extinction (~66 million years ago), likely due to their diminutive size and flexible, omnivorous diets that buffered against ecological upheaval in post-impact environments.[1] Their early evolution coincided with South America's increasing isolation following the final breakup of Gondwana around 80 million years ago, which restricted gene flow and fostered endemic diversification among SANU clades in a continent-wide archipelago of habitats.[4]
Diversification and key events
The diversification of Litopterna accelerated during the Oligocene and Miocene, marking a period of rapid evolutionary radiation into distinct ecological niches. Following their early origins in the Paleocene-Eocene, litopterns underwent significant speciation, particularly within the families Proterotheriidae and Macraucheniidae, which adapted to cursorial (running-adapted) and browsing lifestyles, respectively. This expansion resulted in an estimated peak of around 50 genera across these lineages during the early to middle Miocene, reflecting adaptations to increasingly varied South American landscapes.[27][7]A pivotal event influencing this diversification was the Eocene-Oligocene cooling, which began around 34 million years ago and drove gradual faunal turnover among South American native ungulates, including litopterns. This global climate shift, characterized by a temperature drop and the onset of Antarctic glaciation, prompted an increase in body size within litoptern lineages as a response to changing environmental pressures and resource availability. Concurrently, hypsodonty (high-crowned teeth) began to evolve in some taxa, facilitating processing of tougher, more abrasive vegetation in cooling, drying habitats.[28][27]During the Miocene, the ongoing uplift of the Andes, accelerating from approximately 20 million years ago, created new ecological niches through habitat fragmentation, altitudinal gradients, and the development of rain shadows that promoted aridification in regions like Patagonia. These changes facilitated further litoptern diversification, with proterotheriids achieving high species richness in open terrains and macraucheniids exploiting forested or mixed environments, contributing to a total of nine families across the order by the middle Miocene. Body size trends continued upward, particularly in macraucheniids, which grew from small Eocene forms to larger Miocene species averaging over 100 kg, while proterotheriids stabilized at smaller, more agile sizes around 50 kg.[28][27][7]The Great American Biotic Interchange (GABI), initiated around 3 million years ago with the closure of the Isthmus of Panama, introduced North American competitors such as equids and camelids, which exerted selective pressure on litopterns and contributed to their declining diversification rates. In the Pliocene and Pleistocene, surviving litopterns exhibited regional endemism, with taxa like Xenorhinotherium (a macraucheniid) adapting to open plains in northern South America through enhanced cursorial traits and dietary flexibility. Overall, litoptern evolution trended toward larger body sizes and greater hypsodonty, peaking in diversity before a late Cenozoic decline influenced by biotic and climatic factors.[28][29]
Classification and phylogeny
Higher-level relationships
Litopterna forms part of the traditional cohort Meridiungulata, which unites it with Notoungulata as the core orders of South American native ungulates (SANUs), characterized by shared postcranial features such as mesaxonic, cursorial limbs adapted for terrestrial locomotion.[1] This grouping reflects their independent radiation in isolation on the South American continent following the breakup of Gondwana, with Litopterna and Notoungulata exhibiting convergences toward ungulate-like forms despite uncertain interordinal ties to northern hemisphere placentals.[1]The higher-level affinities of Litopterna within Placentalia have long been contentious, with early interpretations by Richard Owen in the 1840s classifying fossils like Macrauchenia patachonica as relatives of ungulates such as camels (Camelidae) based on superficial skeletal resemblances in limb structure and body size.[30] Subsequent morphological analyses in the late 20th and early 21st centuries reinforced views of ungulate connections, often linking Litopterna to perissodactyls through shared traits like selenodont dentition, a fused mandibular symphysis, and a saddle-shaped navicular facet on the astragalus.[18] For instance, comprehensive cladistic studies position Litopterna as a stem group within Pan-Perissodactyla, successive to basal families like Didolodontidae and forming the sister clade to crown Perissodactyla (e.g., equids, rhinocerotids, and tapirids).[18]Molecular evidence, derived from ancient collagen proteomics of Pleistocene specimens, supports Litopterna's placement within Laurasiatheria as sister to Perissodactyla alongside Notoungulata, with an estimated divergence from the perissodactyl stem around 75 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous.[31] This implies a northern (Laurasian) origin for the clade, followed by southward dispersal to South America, challenging earlier notions of purely gondwanan isolation in DNA-free morphological phylogenies.[31] However, alternative morphological hypotheses propose afrotherian links for broader SANUs, including potential shared hard-tissue features like delayed eruption of permanent dentition; yet, Litopterna is typically excluded from these, aligning more closely with laurasiatherians and rendering Meridiungulata non-monophyletic.[32]Within SANUs, Litopterna is consistently recovered as the sister group to Notoungulata, united by mesaxonic podials and reduced manual digits but distinguished from other orders like the tapir-like Astrapotheria or proboscidean-resembling Pyrotheria by less specialized cranial morphology and more conservative dentition.[1] The scarcity of preservable DNA in tropical fossils restricts molecular insights to rare collagen-based studies, compelling reliance on morphological datasets that often reveal homoplasies—parallel evolutions in hoofed locomotion and browsing adaptations—rather than deep homology with northern orders.[1] Recent dentition-focused phylogenies further emphasize these morphological ambiguities, positioning early Litopterna outside core laurasiatherian clades while affirming their monophyly as a distinct placental lineage.[4]
Families, genera, and recent revisions
Litopterna traditionally comprises nine families encompassing approximately 67 genera, with records spanning the Paleocene to the late Pleistocene.[7] The major families include Proterotheriidae, which features cursorial, horse-like forms ranging from the Eocene to Pleistocene; Macraucheniidae, comprising larger, camel-like litopterns from the Paleocene to Pleistocene; Adianthidae, small-bodied early taxa primarily from the Paleocene to Eocene; and additional Paleogene groups such as Indaleciidae and Protolipternidae, which represent some of the earliest known members.[7][33]Key genera illustrate the order's morphological diversity. Within Macraucheniidae, Macrauchenia stands out as a late-surviving taxon persisting into the Pleistocene, known for its long neck and robust build.[34] In Proterotheriidae, Proterotherium exemplifies Miocenecursorial adaptations with elongated limbs suited for open habitats.[35]Theosodon, another Macraucheniidae genus from the Miocene, is recognized for its browsing lifestyle and humped dorsal profile.[5]A 2024 dentition-based phylogenetic analysis redefined Litopterna as a monophyletic clade originating around 64 million years ago in the early Paleocene, consisting of four core families: Adianthidae (pygmy litopterns, including small early Miocene forms), Anisolambdidae (with subfamilies Anisolambdinae and the newly subordinated Sparnotheriodontinae), Macraucheniidae, and Proterotheriidae.[4] This revision proposes elevating Anisolambdidae to include Sparnotheriodontinae as a subfamily, while excluding traditionally associated Paleogene families like Didolodontidae, Protolipternidae, and Indaleciidae, classifying them instead as stem South American native ungulates (SANUs) outside crown Litopterna.[4][36]Recent discoveries have further refined the taxonomy. In 2025, new Miocene fossils from Colombia's La Venta locality included additional material of the proterotheriids Villarroelia totoyoi and Mesolicaphrium sanalfonense, providing the first description of deciduous dentition for the latter and the most complete adult dentition known for the former, alongside further Theosodon sp. remains in Macraucheniidae, providing fresh morphological insights but not resolving broader phylogenetic uncertainties.[5] An Eocene litoptern from the Antarctic Peninsula, Indalecia grandis (Indaleciidae), underscores early biogeographic spread and basal position within SANUs.[11]Taxonomic challenges persist, particularly regarding potential polyphyly in Paleogene litopterns and the precise delimitation of early families from other SANUs, with ongoing debates informed by integrated morphological and molecular data.[4][18]
Diversity and fossil record
Major clades and temporal patterns
Litopterna, one of the most diverse orders of South American native ungulates (SANUs), exhibited a temporal range spanning approximately 64 million years, from the Early Paleocene to the Late Pleistocene.[37] The order is characterized by four core families—Adianthidae, Anisolambdidae (encompassing subfamilies Anisolambdinae and Sparnotheriodontinae), Macraucheniidae, and Proterotheriidae—plus tentatively the Notopterna group (Indaleciidae and Notonychopidae), with a total of 91 recognized genera.[37][4] As the second most speciose SANU clade after Notoungulata, Litopterna demonstrated fluctuating diversity tied to major geological and climatic shifts.[37]In the early phase (Paleocene-Eocene), Litopterna displayed low diversity with roughly five families emerging during initial diversification, including primitive forms like Adianthidae (42–14.8 Ma) and early Anisolambdidae (62.5–26 Ma).[37] This period marked the order's origin around 64 Ma, with limited genera adapted to post-Cretaceous environments.[37] Diversity remained modest, reflecting sparse fossil records but recent analyses indicating underestimated Eocene forms, particularly in Antarctic localities such as Notiolofos from Seymour Island.[37][38]The middle phase (Oligocene-Miocene) saw a marked increase in diversity, dominated by Proterotheriidae (28 genera) and Macraucheniidae (18 genera), accounting for about 40 genera overall within these clades.[37] This expansion included a radiation around the Oligocene-Miocene transition (~23 Ma), driven by speciation peaks and neogene proliferation, culminating in maximum diversity during the late Miocene (~10 Ma).[37][38] However, early Miocene negative diversification rates signaled emerging turnover, with extinctions offsetting gains.[38]In the late phase (Pliocene-Pleistocene), Litopterna underwent a severe decline, persisting with only 2–3 genera such as Macrauchenia (extinct ~0.01 Ma).[37][39] This drop-off accelerated post-Great American Biotic Interchange (GABI, ~3 Ma), with sustained negative net diversification rates leading to eventual extinction.[38] Recent 2023–2025 studies highlight underestimation in Eocene and Antarctic records, potentially revising early tallies upward.[37][38][5]Biogeographically, Litopterna maintained a core distribution in Patagonia, with extensions into Andean regions (e.g., Bolivia, Chile) during the Miocene and rare occurrences in Amazonian areas, such as new Miocene remains from Colombia.[37][5] This pattern underscores a predominantly southern focus, with tropical forays limited and ephemeral.[38]
Notable taxa and discoveries
One of the most iconic litoptern taxa is Macrauchenia patachonica, a late Pleistocene macraucheniid known for its camel-like build and elongated skull, which led early researchers to speculate about a possible trunk-like structure, though modern analyses refute this. Fossils of this species were first discovered by Charles Darwin in 1834 near Puerto Deseado, Argentina, during the voyage of the HMS Beagle, marking it as the initial litoptern specimen recognized by European science and later described by Richard Owen in 1838.[39][30] Another prominent taxon is Proterotherium typicum, a Miocene proterotheriid from Argentina and Chile, characterized by its slender, horse-like limbs adapted for cursorial locomotion and low-crowned teeth suited for browsing. This species exemplifies the proterotheriid subfamily's diversification during the Neogene, with remains primarily from fluvial sediments in Patagonia.[40]Significant discoveries have expanded the known range and antiquity of Litopterna. In the 1980s, excavations at Tiupampa, Bolivia, yielded the earliest litoptern fossils, including a partial skull attributed to basal forms like Protolipterna, dating to the early Paleocene around 59 million years ago and confirming the order's South American origins from North American immigrant "condylarths." More recently, in 2000, a new Eocene litoptern species from the Antarctic Peninsula was described, based on dental and cranial fragments from Seymour Island, highlighting early dispersal across southern Gondwanan landmasses before full continental isolation.[23][33] That same year , new proterotheriid remains from the Miocene La Venta locality in Colombia, including postcranial elements of Villarroelia totoyoi and Mesolicaphrium sanalfonense, provided insights into limb morphology and cursorial adaptations, suggesting enhanced speed in forested environments.[41]Key type specimens are housed in major institutions, such as the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) collections, which include well-preserved Theosodon skulls and postcrania from Miocene sites in Argentina, serving as references for macraucheniid anatomy and phylogeny. Recent fieldwork at Quebrada Honda, Bolivia, has uncovered bone concentrations—interpreted as herd accumulations—with multiple litoptern genera like Theosodon and new proterotheriids, dating to the late middle Miocene around 13 million years ago and offering a snapshot of community diversity in Andean foreland basins.[42][43]Litoptern fossils are typically fragmentary, with complete skeletons exceedingly rare due to taphonomic biases; most specimens derive from fluvial and floodplain deposits, where disarticulated bones accumulate in river channels or bars, occasionally preserving evidence of gregarious behaviors through clustered remains indicative of group mortality events.[44][9]
Litopterns exhibited diverse feeding strategies inferred primarily from dental morphology and microwear analyses. Early forms displayed brachydont to mesodont teeth suited for browsing on soft vegetation, such as leaves, buds, and stems from trees and shrubs, as evidenced by low scratch densities and high pit counts in the microwear of proterotheriid species like Neolicaphrium recens.[45] Later taxa, particularly in the Macraucheniidae, showed increased hypsodonty (hypsodonty index around 2.04 in Xenorhinotherium bahiense), indicating adaptation to tougher, abrasive plants including grasses, though mesodonty suggests predominant browsing over pure grazing.[46] Dental calculus from Macrauchenia patachonica reveals a mixed diet dominated by C3 herbaceous plants (49% phytoliths) and eudicotyledons (35.4%), with minor C4 grass intake, supporting opportunistic feeding in varied plant communities.[47] Stable isotope analyses (δ¹³C) confirm a C3-dominated diet across Litopterna lineages from the Late Miocene to Pleistocene, with slight C3-C4 mixing in late survivors like Macrauchenia, reflecting consumption of forested to open-environment vegetation without major shifts to grassland specialization.[15]Locomotion in Litopterna varied by family, with biomechanical indices from limb proportions highlighting adaptations for efficient terrestrial movement. Proterotheriids possessed elongated distal limbs (mean metatarsal/femur ratio of 0.46 across Litopterna, with upward trends in this family), monodactyl feet, and reduced lateral digits, enabling cursorial locomotion via rotary or half-bound gaits similar to equids, though not as specialized for high-speed galloping.[20][48]Fossil trackways from the Late Miocene Toro Negro and Huayquerías formations indicate coordinated group movement at speeds inferred from stride lengths (body mass 15-21 kg), supporting agile traversal of open terrains.[9] In contrast, macraucheniids featured tridactyl feet, fused zeugopodial bones (ulna-radius and tibia-fibula), and robust metapodials with aliform expansions on the radius for flexor muscle attachment, promoting stable, ambulatory cursoriality in a walking pace rather than rapid bounding, as corroborated by limb ratios and subunguligrade posture.[19] These features, including a secondary tarsal fulcrum akin to artiodactyls, facilitated weight-bearing and predator evasion in larger-bodied forms (>100 kg).[48]Litopterns occupied herbivorous niches analogous to those of perissodactyls and artiodactyls in isolated South America, serving as primary consumers in woodland and grassland ecosystems. Proterotheriids (15-80 kg) filled mid-sized, high-browser roles, while macraucheniids (>100 kg) acted as larger, mixed-feeding herbivores, contributing to vegetation control and nutrient cycling without direct predators in early Cenozoic guilds.[5] Post-Great American Biotic Interchange (GABI, ~3 Ma), incoming equids and cervids overlapped these niches, leading to competitive exclusion as Litopterns maintained C3-focused diets amid expanding C4 grasslands, unlike more adaptable immigrants.[15] Cranial biomechanics in forms like Oxyodontherium zeballosi suggest adaptations for head-down feeding postures, enhancing access to low vegetation and reinforcing their role as dominant herbivores.[12] Overall, Litopterns exemplified convergent evolution in ungulate-like ecomorphology, diversifying to exploit isolated continental resources until biotic pressures intensified.[48]
Habitat preferences and interactions
Litopterna originated during the late Paleocene in South America, where early forms such as Protolipterna and Indalophus inhabited warm, forested environments characterized by dense vegetation and a subtropical climate.[33] By the early Miocene, particularly in the Santacrucian stage of Patagonia, litopterns like proterotheriids and macraucheniids preferred closed habitats such as woodlands and forests, where they functioned primarily as browsers adapted to selective foraging on leaves and fruits.[49] As Miocene climates warmed during the Climatic Optimum (around 17–15 Ma), litoptern distributions expanded southward into Patagonian open woodlands and grasslands, with isotopic evidence from tooth enamel indicating stable reliance on C₃ vegetation amid increasing aridity.[50] In the Pleistocene, surviving taxa such as Neolicaphrium and Macrauchenia occupied the expansive pampas of central Argentina, favoring open grassy plains that supported their cursorial lifestyles.[51] Some late litopterns also adapted to the arid fringes of the Andean foothills, as evidenced by fossils from early Miocene sites in northern Chile like Chucal, where they coexisted in semi-arid, vegetated floodplains.[52]In paleoecological contexts, litopterns frequently co-occurred with notoungulates and xenarthrans in South American faunas, forming key components of herbivore guilds from the Paleocene through the Pleistocene.[3] For instance, in the early Miocene Santa Cruz Formation of Patagonia, litopterns shared forested niches with browsing astrapotheres and xenarthrans like ground sloths, while contrasting with grazing notoungulates in adjacent open areas, suggesting niche partitioning based on habitat and diet.[49] Trackways from late Miocene sites in northwest Argentina, including over 350 proterotheriid footprints, reveal gregarious behaviors with near-synchronous group movements, indicating social foraging strategies that likely aided in predator avoidance through herding in fluvial and semi-arid landscapes.[9] Cursorial adaptations enabled litopterns to evade predators like sparassodont marsupials by relying on speed in open terrains, complementing their role in mixed-herbivore communities.[49]Prior to the Great American Biotic Interchange (GABI), litopterns dominated South American ungulate guilds, filling ecological roles analogous to perissodactyls in diverse ecosystems from forests to grasslands.[5] During the GABI (late Miocene to Pleistocene), northern immigrants such as equids and camelids displaced litopterns through competitive exclusion in open habitats, leading to a 52% diversity decline among native ungulates by the Pliocene.[14] Bone assemblages from Pleistocene pampas sites show litopterns persisting alongside xenarthrans but under pressure from introduced carnivorans and artiodactyls, highlighting biotic interactions that reduced their community dominance.[3]Litoptern distributions responded to broader environmental changes, including Miocene warming that facilitated range expansions into southern latitudes.[53] Stable isotope analyses from late Miocene to early Pliocene pampas fossils indicate litopterns maintained C₃-dominated diets amid increasing aridity, contrasting with shifts in co-occurring notoungulates.[50] Recent studies link Andean uplift to subtle influences on litoptern paleoecology, with a weak positive correlation between uplift rates and extinction from the Eocene onward, potentially fragmenting habitats and limiting diversification in highland fringes.[28]
Extinction
Decline and final occurrences
The Litopterna order underwent a significant decline following its peak diversity in the Eocene and Oligocene epochs, when over 40 genera of South American native ungulates, including numerous litoptern taxa, coexisted across the continent.[54] During the Eocene-Oligocene transition around 34 million years ago, litoptern diversity declined gradually with increased taxonomic turnover, affecting lineages such as early proterotheriids and macraucheniids that survived into the Miocene.[28] Post-Miocene, litoptern diversity continued to wane, with approximately half of the remaining genera disappearing by the Pliocene, leaving primarily proterotheriids and macraucheniids as holdouts amid increasing faunal turnover.[19]The final occurrences of Litopterna are documented primarily in late Cenozoic sediments of southern South America, where refugia in Argentina and southern Brazil allowed persistence longer than in northern regions. Proterotheriidae, the horse-like litopterns, became extinct in the late Pleistocene, with the last known species, such as Neolicaphrium recens, recorded in late Pleistocene and possibly early Holocene deposits in Argentina and Uruguay; northern proterotheriids vanished earlier following the Great American Biotic Interchange in the late Pliocene.[55][56] Macraucheniidae, including the iconic Macrauchenia patachonica, endured until the late Pleistocene, with fossils from the Luján Formation in Argentina dated to approximately 12,000 years ago.[39]Fossil evidence from late Pleistocene assemblages highlights the rarity of litoptern remains compared to earlier periods, reflecting their marginalization in changing ecosystems; the last securely dated specimens, primarily from southern South American sites like the Luján and Touro Passo Formations, cluster around 10,000 to 12,000 years before present, after which no verified records exist.[57] Regional patterns show that while northern litopterns declined post-interchange due to competitive pressures from immigrant taxa, southern populations in pampean and patagonian provinces represented the final refugia until the end of the Pleistocene.[28]
Proposed causes
The extinction of Litopterna is hypothesized to stem from a interplay of biotic pressures initiated by the Great American Biotic Interchange (GABI) approximately 3 million years ago, when the closure of the Central American Seaway facilitated faunal exchange between North and South America.[58] Among biotic factors, competition with invading northern ungulates posed a significant threat, as these immigrants occupied similar ecological niches with greater adaptive efficiency; for example, proterotheriids—slender, cursorial litopterns convergent with horses—faced displacement by equids, which excelled in open-grassland grazing due to superior dental and locomotor specializations.[59] Additionally, heightened predator pressure from placental carnivorans, such as canids and felids that dispersed southward during the GABI, likely exacerbated vulnerability, particularly for larger macraucheniids that previously dominated without such intense predation.[59]Abiotic drivers further compounded these biotic challenges, with progressive climate cooling and aridification across the Pliocene to Pleistocene epochs altering vegetation patterns and contracting suitable habitats for litopterns.[60]Habitat fragmentation intensified due to the ongoing Andean orogeny, which uplifted landscapes and disrupted migratory corridors and resource availability, while fluctuating sea levels—particularly post-glacial rises—reduced coastal lowlands and pampas that many litoptern taxa preferred.[61]Recent syntheses emphasize combined mechanisms, where niche overlap with GABI invaders amplified environmental stressors, leading to a gradual, cumulative decline rather than a singular catastrophic event; for instance, 2023 analyses of Pampean Region fossils highlight how biotic invasions synergized with paleoclimatic shifts to erode litoptern resilience.[62] This pattern mirrors the broader fate of South American native ungulates (SANUs), including notoungulates, which exhibited prolonged survival in isolated southern refugia like Patagonia but ultimately succumbed to invasion pressures and habitat instability upon continental integration.[62]
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