Antifer

Antifer is an extinct genus of large herbivorous deer of the family Cervidae, endemic to South America during the Pleistocene, living from 2.6 Ma-13,000 years ago and existing for approximately . Cervids first entered the formerly isolated continent of South America during the Pliocene as part of the Great American Biotic Interchange.

It would have been preyed upon by the dire wolf, the fox-like Theriodictis, saber-toothed cats, short-faced bears and finally by humans.

Taxonomy 
Antifer was named by Ameghino (1889) based on Captain Antifer in a Jules Vernes novel describing his voyage of discovery in the southern hemisphere.  It was assigned to Cervidae by Carroll (1988).

Fossil distribution 
The fossil remains are confined to southern Brazil, the Sopas Formation of Uruguay, central Chile, and Argentina. It is known mostly from large, non-palmated shed antlers.

References 

Category:Prehistoric deer
Category:Prehistoric mammal genera
Category:Pliocene even-toed ungulates
Category:Pleistocene even-toed ungulates
Category:Piacenzian first appearances
Category:Pleistocene genus extinctions
Category:Pleistocene mammals of South America
Category:Lujanian
Category:Ensenadan
Category:Uquian
Category:Pleistocene Argentina
Category:Fossils of Argentina
Category:Pleistocene Brazil
Category:Fossils of Brazil
Category:Pleistocene Chile
Category:Fossils of Chile
Category:Pleistocene Uruguay
Category:Fossils of Uruguay
Category:Fossil taxa described in 1889
Category:Taxa named by Florentino Ameghino