Caracterização dos mamíferos da megafauna na região Sul do Brasil

Abstract

To contribute to the discussion about the extinction of the South American megafauna and the dissemination of paleontology studies, the article aims to scrutinize the megafauna mammals in the southern region of Brazil. Through surveys and bibliographic analyzes, we seek to understand the species in their morphology and habitat, as well as to analyze the causes of their extinction or adaptation and the possible speciation process. The results recorded nine orders of megafauna mammals comprising a total of twenty-one families. Three orders – Liptotherma, Notoungulata, and Proboscidea – became totally extinct during the transition from the Pleistocene to the Holocene. Five orders – Artiodactyla, Carnivora, Perissodactyla, Pilosa, and Cingulata – although they have become extinct in some of their families, have remaining representatives and only one order – Rodentia – remains to this day