List of extinct animals of South America
Encyclopedia
Holocene
The Holocene is a geological epoch which began at the end of the Pleistocene and continues to the present. The Holocene is part of the Quaternary period. Its name comes from the Greek words and , meaning "entirely recent"...
period in South America.
PleistocenePleistoceneThe Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
extinctions
- Amazonian smilodonSmilodonSmilodon , often called a saber-toothed cat or saber-toothed tiger, is an extinct genus of machairodonts. This saber-toothed cat was endemic to North America and South America, living from near the beginning through the very end of the Pleistocene epoch .-Etymology:The nickname "saber-tooth" refers...
, Smilodon populator - ArctodusArctodusArctodus — known as the short-faced bear or bulldog bear — is an extinct genus of bear endemic to North America during the Pleistocene ~3.0 Ma.—11,000 years ago, existing for approximately three million years. Arctodus simus may have once been Earth's largest mammalian, terrestrial carnivore...
, short-faced bears - MacraucheniaMacraucheniaMacrauchenia was a long-necked and long-limbed, three-toed South American ungulate mammal, typifying the order Litopterna. The oldest fossils date back to around 7 million years ago, and M...
, a litoptern - XenorhinotheriumXenorhinotheriumXenorhinotherium , an extinct Brazilian genus in the family Macraucheniidae, was related to Macrauchenia patachonica of Patagonia.-Name:...
, a litoptern - 12 genera of ground sloths
- At least 8 glyptodont genera
- CuvieroniusCuvieroniusCuvieronius is an extinct New World genus of gomphothere. It is named after the French naturalist Georges Cuvier, stood 2.7 m tall and looked like a modern elephant except for its spiral-shaped tusks.-Origin:...
, a gomphothereGomphothereGomphotheriidae is a diverse taxonomic family of extinct elephant-like animals , called gomphotheres. They were widespread in North America during the Miocene and Pliocene epochs, 12-1.6 million years ago. Some lived in parts of Eurasia, Beringia and, following the Great American Interchange,... - StegomastodonStegomastodonStegomastodon is an extinct genus of gomphothere, a family of proboscideans. It is not to be confused with the genus Mammut from a different proboscidean family, whose members are commonly called "mastodons", nor with the genus Stegodon, from yet another proboscidean sub-family, whose members are...
, a gomphothere - Deer: AntiferAntiferAntifer is an extinct genus of small herbivorous deer of ths family Cervidae endemic to South America during the Late Pliocene to Late Pleistocene, living from 3.6 Ma-11,000 years ago and existing for approximately...
, Morenelaphus, Charitoceros, Agalmaceros - Stout-legged Llama
- HippidionHippidionHippidion was a Welsh pony-sized horse that lived in South America during the Pleistocene epoch, between two million and 10,000 years ago....
and Onohippidium, small horses - TheriodictisTheriodictisTheriodictis is an extinct genus of small hypercarnivorous fox-like canid endemic to South America during the Pleistocene, living from 1.2 Ma-11,000 years ago and existing for approximately ....
, a canid - ToxodonToxodonToxodon is an extinct mammal of the late Pliocene and Pleistocene epochs about 2.6 million to 16,500 years ago. It was indigenous to South America, and was probably the most common large-hoofed mammal in South America at the time of its existence....
, a notoungulate - MixotoxodonMixotoxodonMixotoxodon is an extinct genus of notoungulate of the family Toxodontidae which inhabited South America during the Pleistocene living from 1.8—0.30 Ma and existed for approximately ....
, a notoungulate - NeochoerusNeochoerusNeochoerus is an extinct genus of rodent closely related to the living capybara.-References:*...
, a giant capybara - Canis nehringiCanis nehringiCanis nehringi is an extinct species of canid. Canis gezi, a poorly known small wolf from the Ensenadan of South America, appears to have given rise to Canis nehringi, a Lujanian species from Argentina. Betra’s analysis places Canis dirus and Canis nehringi as sister taxa and are the most derived...
, wolf
Mammals
- Falkland Islands Wolf
- Argentine fox, Dusicyon avus
- Caribbean Monk SealCaribbean Monk SealThe Caribbean monk seal or West Indian monk seal is an extinct species of seal. It is the only seal ever known to be native to the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. The last verified recorded sighting occurred in 1952 at Serranilla Bank...
- Darwin's Rice RatDarwin's Rice RatNesoryzomys darwini, also known as Darwin's Nesoryzomys or Darwin's Galápagos Mouse, is a species of rodent in the genus Nesoryzomys that lived on Santa Cruz Island in the Galápagos Islands. It was probably nocturnal and inhabited burrows or rock crevices under bushes. Only four specimens exist,...
, - Indefatigable Galapagos MouseIndefatigable Galapagos MouseNesoryzomys indefessus, also known as the Santa Cruz Nesoryzomys or Indefatigable Galápagos Mouse, is a rodent of the genus Nesoryzomys of family Cricetidae from Galápagos Islands of Ecuador. It contains two subspecies: one formerly lived on Santa Cruz Island, but is now extinct, probably due to...
- Chatham Island Rice Rat
Birds
- Terror birds, (TertiaryTertiaryThe Tertiary is a deprecated term for a geologic period 65 million to 2.6 million years ago. The Tertiary covered the time span between the superseded Secondary period and the Quaternary...
) - Niceforo Brown Pintail Duck, Anas georgica niceforoi (1952, ColombiaColombiaColombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
) - Darwin's Ground Finch, Geospiza magnirostris magnirostris (1957, Galapagos)
- Colombian GrebeColombian GrebeThe Colombian Grebe , was a grebe found in the Bogotá wetlands in the Eastern Andes of Colombia. The species was still abundant on Lake Tota in 1945. The species has occasionally been considered a subspecies of Black-necked Grebe The Colombian Grebe (Podiceps andinus), was a grebe (aquatic...
, Podiceps andinus (1970, ColombiaColombiaColombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
) - Red-throated Wood-railRed-throated Wood-railThe Red-throated Wood Rail is a disputed species of bird in the Rallidae family.If it is not a misidentification, it was endemic to Peru and apparently became extinct due to habitat loss some time in the 20th century....
, Aramides gutturalis (1843, PeruPeruPeru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
)
Amphibians
- Phrynomedusa fimbriataPhrynomedusa fimbriataPhrynomedusa fimbriata, the Spiny-knee Leaf Frog, is a presumably extinct species of frog in the Hylidae family. While it might still exist, having only been found once in the 1920s, it has not been found in recent searches....
(1920s, BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
) - Atelopus ignescens (1988, EcuadorEcuadorEcuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
) - Atelopus longirostrisAtelopus longirostrisAtelopus longirostris, an arlequin frog or jambato, is a member of the family of true toads: Bufonidae. It has been recorded only in northern Ecuador...
(1989, EcuadorEcuadorEcuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
) - Atelopus vogliAtelopus vogliAtelopus vogli was a species of toad in the Bufonidae family. It was endemic to Venezuela.It bred in subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and rivers. It has not been seen since 1933 and is considered to be extinct due to habitat loss.-Source:...
(1933, VenezuelaVenezuelaVenezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
) - Golden ToadGolden toadThe golden toad was a small, shiny, bright true toad that was once abundant in a small region of high-altitude cloud-covered tropical forests, about 30 square kilometers in area, above the city of Monteverde, Costa Rica. For this reason, it is sometimes also called the Monteverde golden toad, or...
, Bufo periglenes (1989, Costa RicaCosta RicaCosta Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
)
Fish
- Rhizosomichthys totaeRhizosomichthys totaeRhizosomichthys totae is a species of catfish of the family Trichomycteridae, and the only species of the genus Rhizosomichthys. This fish grows to about 13.8 centimetres and originates from the Lake Tota basin. It is listed as an extinct species by the IUCN Red List....
(Freshwater catfish from ColombiaColombiaColombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, Lake TotaLake TotaLake Tota is the largest lake in Colombia, located in the east of Boyacá department. It has an area of 55 km² and a depth of 60 meters.The major town on the lake is Aquitania, located on its eastern side. Other nearby villages include Tota, Iza and Cuitiva. Lake Tota was an important religious...
) - Orestias cuvieri (Lake TiticacaLake TiticacaLake Titicaca is a lake located on the border of Peru and Bolivia. It sits 3,811 m above sea level, making it the highest commercially navigable lake in the world...
)
Mollusks
- Littoridina gaudichaudiiLittoridina gaudichaudii† Littoridina gaudichaudii is a species of small freshwater snail with a gill and an operculum, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Hydrobiidae.This species was endemic to Ecuador. It is now extinct.- Further reading :...
(Freshwater snail from EcuadorEcuadorEcuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
) - Tomigerus gibberulusTomigerus gibberulus†Tomigerus gibberulus was a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Orthalicidae.This species was endemic to Brazil. It is now extinct....
(Terrestrial snail from BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
) - Tomigerus turbinatusTomigerus turbinatusTomigerus turbinatus was a species of gastropod in the family Orthalicidae. It was endemic to Brazil....
(Terrestrial snail from BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
) - Megalobulimus cardosoiMegalobulimus cardosoi†Megalobulimus cardosoi was a species of air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial gastropod mollusk in the family Strophocheilidae. This species was endemic to Brazil....
(Terrestrial snail from BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
)
Insects
- Megadytes ducalisMegadytes ducalisMegadytes ducalis was a species of beetle in family Dytiscidae. It was endemic to Brazil.-Source:* World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1996. . Downloaded on 10 August 2007....
(Freshwater beetle from BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
) - Rhantus orbignyiRhantus orbignyiRhantus orbignyi was a species of beetle in family Dytiscidae. It was found in Argentina and Brazil.-Source:* World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1996. . Downloaded on 10 August 2007....
(Freshwater beetle from ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
)
Rediscovered
- Caatinga Woodpecker Celeus obrieni ("Extinct" in 1926, Rediscovered in 2006, BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Critically Endangered in the IUCN redlist 2007) - Kinglet CalypturaKinglet CalypturaThe Kinglet Calyptura is a small passerine bird. It is the only member of the genus Calyptura. It has traditionally been considered a member of the family Cotingidae, but following the move of several species from this family to Tityridae - including the purpletufts which traditionally are...
, Calyptura cristata ("Extinct" in 1960, Rediscovered in 1996, BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
Critically Endangered) - Fuertes's Parrot, Hapalopsittaca fuertesi ("Extinct" in 1911, Rediscovered in 2003, ColombiaColombiaColombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, Critically Endangered) - Fernandina Rice Rat, Nesoryzomys fernandinae ("Extinct" in 1980, Rediscovered during surveys in 1995 and 1997, EcuadorEcuadorEcuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
, Galapagos, Vulnerable) - Rancho Grande Harlequin FrogRancho Grande Harlequin FrogHabitat: During the dry seasons these amphibians choose to live near freshwater streams where there is surrounding vegetation. Streams are the perfect location for them to breed....
, Atelopus cruciger ("Extinct" in 1982, Rediscovered in 2003, VenezuelaVenezuelaVenezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
) - GracilidrisGracilidrisGracilidris is a genus of dolichoderine ants with nocturnal behaviour; thought to have gone extinct 15-20 million years ago, they have been found in Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina and were described in 2006....
, a genus of dolichoderine ant thought to have gone extinct 15-20 million years ago, found in ParaguayParaguayParaguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
, BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, and ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and described in 2006.
Extinct in the wild
- Aylacostoma chloroticumAylacostoma chloroticumAylacostoma chloroticum is a species of freshwater snail, aquatic gastropod mollusc in the family Thiaridae. This species is extinct in the wild and it was found in Argentina and Paraguay. The cause of its extinction in the wild is the building of the Yacyretá Dam on the Paraná River...
(Freshwater snail from ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and ParaguayParaguayParaguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
) - Aylacostoma guaraniticumAylacostoma guaraniticumAylacostoma guaraniticum is a species of freshwater snail, an aquatic gastropod mollusc in the family Thiaridae. This species is extinct in the wild and it was found in Argentina and Paraguay....
(Freshwater snail from ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and ParaguayParaguayParaguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
) - Aylacostoma stigmaticumAylacostoma stigmaticumAylacostoma stigmaticum is a species of freshwater snail, aquatic gastropod mollusc in the family Thiaridae. This species is extinct in the wild and it was found in Argentina and Paraguay....
(Freshwater snail from ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and ParaguayParaguayParaguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
) - Alagoas CurassowAlagoas CurassowThe Alagoas Curassow, Mitu mitu, is a large, mainly glossy black pheasant-like bird. It was formerly found in forests in north-eastern Brazil, but it is now extinct in the wild. A captive population exists...
, Crax mitu (Bird from BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
) - Spix's MacawSpix's MacawSpix's Macaw is the only member of the parrot genus Cyanopsitta. They are critically endangered, possibly extinct in the wild The species is conserved through several breeding programs. It was found in Brazil, in parts of the Brazilian state of Bahia...
, Cyanopsitta spixii (Bird from BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
) - Abingdon Island TortoiseLonesome GeorgeLonesome George is a tortoise, the last known individual of the Pinta Island tortoise , which is one of eight to fifteen extant subspecies of Galápagos tortoise, all of which are native to the Galápagos Islands...
, Geochelone nigra abingdoni (EcuadorEcuadorEcuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
, Galápagos)
See also
- List of extinct animals
- List of extinct animals of Asia
- List of extinct animals of Africa
- List of extinct animals of Europe
- Extinct birdsExtinct birdsSince 1500, over 190 species of birds have become extinct, and this rate of extinction seems to be increasing. The situation is exemplified by Hawaii, where 30% of all known recently extinct bird taxa originally lived...