Pliocene extinctions

Amphicyonidae is an extinct family of terrestrial carnivorans belonging to the suborder Caniformia. They first appeared in North America in the middle Eocene (around 45 Ma), spread to Europe by the late Eocene (35 Ma), and further spread to Asia and Africa by the early Miocene (23 Ma). They had largely disappeared worldwide by the late Miocene (9-7 Ma), with the latest recorded species at the end of the Miocene in Africa. They were among the first carnivorans to evolve large body size. Amphicyonids are colloquially referred to as "bear-dogs".

Odobenocetops () is an extinct genus of small toothed whale known from Chile and Peru. Its fossils are found in Miocene-aged marine strata of the Bahía Inglesa Formation and Pisco Formation. Two species of Odobenocetops are currently recognized, O. peruvianus and the slightly younger O. leptodon.

Sparassodonta (from Greek ['], to tear, rend; and , gen. [', ''''], tooth) is an extinct order of carnivorous metatherian mammals native to South America, related to modern marsupials. They were once considered to be true marsupials, but are now thought to be a separate side branch that split before the last common ancestor of all modern marsupials.

Stupendemys is an extinct genus of freshwater side-necked turtle, belonging to the family Podocnemididae. It is the largest freshwater turtle known to have existed, with a carapace over 2 meters long. Its fossils have been found in northern South America, in rocks dating from the Middle Miocene to the very start of the Pliocene, about 13 to 5 million years ago. Male specimens are known to have possessed bony horns growing from the front edges of the shell and the discovery of the fossil of a young adult shows that the carapace of these turtles flattens with age. A fossil skull described in 202

Otodontidae is an extinct family of sharks belonging to the order Lamniformes. Its members have been described as megatoothed sharks. They lived from the Early Cretaceous to the Pliocene, and included genera such as Otodus, including the giant megalodon. Although traditionally classified under Carcharocles, studies of the genus Megalolamna indicate that the megatoothed sharks were likely members of Otodus. The genus Cretalamna which lived from the mid-Cretaceous-Paleogene is believed to be directly ancestral to Otodus, and thus to megalodon.

Nuralagus is an extinct genus of leporid (the family of rabbits and hares), with a single species, Nuralagus rex, described in 2011. It lived on Menorca, one of the Balearic Islands in the western Mediterranean during the Pliocene epoch. It is the largest known lagomorph to have ever existed, with an estimated weight of , nearly double the weight of the average Flemish Giant rabbit. It likely went extinct at the Pliocene-Pleistocene transition when Mallorca and Menorca were united as one island, letting the mammalian fauna of Mallorca, including the goat-like ungulate Myotragus, colonize Nural

The extinct Borophaginae form one of three subfamilies found within the canid family. The other two canid subfamilies are the extinct Hesperocyoninae and extant Caninae. Borophaginae, called "bone-crushing dogs", were endemic to North America during the Oligocene to Pliocene and lived roughly 34—2.5 million years ago, existing for about .

Ceratogaulus is an extinct genus of rodents, a member of the extinct fossorial (burrowing) rodent family Mylagaulidae. Ceratogaulus is one of two rodent genera with horns (along with fellow mylagaulid Mylagaulus) and is the smallest known horned mammal. Ceratogaulus lived in North America from the late Miocene to the early Pliocene epochs, 16.3 to 5.3 million years ago. Ceratogaulus (and to a lesser extent Mylagaulus) have sometimes been nicknamed "horned gophers", though they are only distantly related to true gophers.

Chilotherium, from Ancient Greek χείλος (cheílos), meaning "lip", and θηρίον (theríon), meaning "beast", is an extinct genus of rhinocerotids that lived in Africa and Eurasia during the Miocene through Pliocene living for 13.7—3.4 mya, existing for approximately .

Metailurus is a genus of saber-toothed cat in the family Felidae, and belonging to the tribe Metailurini, which occurred in North America, Eurasia and Africa from the Miocene to the Middle Pleistocene.

Bramatherium (Brahma’s beast) is an extinct genus of giraffids that ranged from India to Turkey in Asia. It is closely related to the larger Sivatherium.

Thylacosmilidae is an extinct family of metatherian predators, related to the modern marsupials, which lived in South America between the Miocene and Pliocene epochs. Like other South American mammalian predators that lived prior to the Great American Biotic Interchange, these animals belonged to the order Sparassodonta, which occupied the ecological niche of many eutherian mammals of the order Carnivora from other continents. The family's most notable feature are the elongated, laterally flattened fangs, which is a remarkable evolutionary convergence with other saber-toothed mammals like Barb

species of mammal

species of fish

thumb|left|Pliopithecus antiquus jaw seen from above

Kentriodontidae is an extinct family of odontocete whales related to modern dolphins. The Kentriodontidae lived from the Oligocene to the Pliocene before going extinct.

Amebelodontidae is an extinct family of large herbivorous proboscidean mammals related to elephants. They were formerly assigned to Gomphotheriidae, but recent authors consider them a distinct family. They are distinguished from other proboscideans by having flattened lower tusks (leading to the nickname "shovel tuskers") and very elongate mandibular symphysis (the fused frontmost part of the lower jaw). The lower tusks could grow to considerable size, with those of Konobelodon reaching in length. Their molar teeth are typically trilophodont (with only Konobelodon being fully tetralophodont),

Hegetotheriidae is an extinct family of notoungulate mammals known from the Oligocene through the Pliocene of South America. The family underwent many sequential radiation events throughout the Cenozoic, which led to Hegetotheriids being among the most diverse of the Typotheria.

Aceratheriinae (from Ancient Greek ἀ- (á-), meaning "-less", κέρας (kéras), meaning "horn", and θηρίον (theríon), meaning "beast") is an extinct subfamily of true rhinoceroses (Rhinocerotidae) that ranged across Eurasia, Africa and North America from the Oligocene to the beginning of the Pliocene. Members of the group generally lacked horns, though some members of the family may have borne small horns.

right|thumb|Ischnochiton spp. (unknown species) from South Africa thumb|Ischnochiton winckworthi from western India (Mumbai) Ischnochiton is a genus of polyplacophoran mollusc.

species of mammal

"Mesosuchia" is an obsolete name for a group of terrestrial, semi-aquatic, or fully aquatic crocodylomorph reptiles.

Pliohyrax, is a genus of hyracoids (the cavy-like group of animals most closely related to elephants and manatees). It grew to sizes greatly exceeding those of any living hyrax, though it was by no means the largest member of this family.

Hippotherium is an extinct genus of horse that lived during the Miocene through Pliocene ~13.65—6.7 Mya, existing for .

Pholadomya is a genus of saltwater clams, marine bivalve molluscs in the family Pholadomyidae.

Megacamelus is an extinct genus of terrestrial herbivore in the family Camelidae, endemic to North America from the Miocene through Pliocene 10.3—4.9 mya, existing for approximately .

Discinisca is a genus of brachiopods with fossils dating back from the Early Devonian to the Pliocene of Africa, Europe, North America, and New Zealand.

Trigodon is an extinct genus of the family Toxodontidae, a large-bodied notoungulate which inhabited South America during the Late Miocene to Early Pliocene (Mayoan to Montehermosan in the SALMA classification), living from 11.61 to 4.0 Ma which existed for approximately . The type species is T. gaudryi. It bore a superficial resemblance to a rhinoceros, in that it had a horn on its forehead, and was one of a few horned notoungulates, including Adinotherium and Leontinia.

Callistochiton is a genus of polyplacophoran molluscs, alive today, of which fossils are known from the Pliocene period onwards.

Parapontoporia is an extinct genus of lipotoid dolphin that lived during the Late Miocene to the Pliocene epochs. This genus can be found attributed across the North American coast of the Pacific Ocean. Fossils have been found in Tulare Formation of California and the Almejas Formation of Mexico.

Valenictus is an extinct genus of Odobenidae from the Pliocene of California.

Libralces was a dubious genus of Eurasian deer that lived during the Pliocene epoch. It is notable for its 2+ meter wide antlers, comparable in size to those of Megaloceros.

species of mammal

Clavilithes is an extinct genus of fossil sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Fasciolariidae, the tulip snails and spindle snails.

Chalicotherioidea (from Ancient Greek χάλιξ (khálix), meaning "gravel", and θηρίον (theríon), meaning "beast") is an extinct superfamily of clawed perissodactyls (odd-toed ungulates) that lived from the early Eocene to the early Pleistocene subepochs. Based on the fossil record they emerged and thrived largely in Eurasia, although specimens have been found in both Africa and North America. They were likely browsers that fed mainly on leaves, twigs, and other nonresistant vegetation. Many of the contained genera had derived specializations of the forelimb and manus that allowed the claws to be

Sveltia is a genus in the subfamily Cancellariinae of the nutmeg sea snails with an extensive fossil range.