Macrauchenia

Macrauchenia
Classification
Name	Macrauchenia latiens
Name Meaning	Long Llama
Species	Litopterna
Family	Macraucheniidae
Diet	Herbivore
Physiology
Description	Prehistoric mammal with llama-like attributes
Attributes	Llama-like proportions; long neck; long legs; tapir-like nose
Height	2 m (6.56 ft)
Length	3 m (9.8 ft)
Weight	1.043 t (2,299 lb)
Biography
Era	Late Miocene to Late Pleistocene
Time	7 MYA to 10 TYA
Discovered	1838
Locations	South America

“	Even the large herds of herbivores are exotic. These Macrauchenia are unrelated to any modern mammal.	„
	— Allen, about Macrauchenia in Saving the Sabre Tooth

Macrauchenia (name meaning "Long Llama") is a genus of ungulate Litopterna that originated during the Late Miocene epoch in what is now South America. Standing around 2 meters tall and weighing a ton, this herbivore was the last of a dying breed of which we know relatively little, the Lipoterns. It was the prey of predators like the Smilodon and Phorusrhacos.

In the Series 3 episode "Saving the Sabre Tooth," a herd of a dozen Macrauchenia and their babies were brought to the park from Early Pleistocene South America, 1 million years ago. They reside in the Giraffe Grasslands Enclosure.

Facts

Era & Discovery

Macrauchenia lived in South America during the Late Miocene to Late Pleistocene from, around 7 million to 10,000 years ago. While they were unique to South America during their time, they were also the last of their kind. Additionally, alongside Toxodon, Macrauchenia was a primary prey time for Smilodon.

Macrauchenia was first discovered on February 9, 1834 at Port St Julian in Patagonia (Argentina) by Charles Darwin, when HMS Beagle was surveying the port during the voyage of the Beagle.

Physical Attributes

A species of mammal unrelated to any modern mammal, Macrauchenia had a somewhat camel-like body with sturdy legs, a long neck, and a relatively small head of a tapir. Its feet, however, more closely resembled those of a modern rhinoceros, and had three hoof-like toes on each foot. It was a relatively large animal, standing around 6 feet (2 m), measuring 10 feet (3 m) long, and weighing a little over 1 ton (2,204 lb). It was a litoptern - a unique South American ungulate mammal and it didn't have any close modern relatives: they all died out at the time of the Pleistocene.

Macrauchenia skeleton

One striking characteristic of Macrauchenia is that, unlike most other mammals, this animal possessed a trunk. One insight into Macrauchenia's habits is that its ankle joints and shin bones may indicate that it was adapted to have unusually good mobility, being able to rapidly change direction when it ran at high speed. Therefore, Macrauchenia were fast and wary animals and had outstanding maneuverability. Macrauchenia is known, like its relative, Theosodon, to have had a full set of 44 teeth.

Behavior & Traits

Like many mammals, Macrauchenia lived and traveled in large herds, however, much like elephants, females lived in herds, a good way to protect their young. Male Macrauchenia lived separately from their herds and often wandered into the scrub forests to browns, using their long noses to strip leaves.

Gallery

A herd of Macrauchenia grazing on grass.

A Macrauchenia being attacked by a Smilodon.

Trivia

• The sound effects of Macrauchenia are that of bull, camel, donkey, elk, and llama sound effects.
• Macrauchenia is now known not to have such large of a trunk, and most likely had nostrils on the top of its head, or had an inflatalable pocket that the nostrils were on that connected to the hole on the top of its head. Macrauchenia probably did, however, posess a prehensile lip to help with feeding.