Deinotheriidae

This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (July 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Deinotheriidae Temporal range: Late Oligocene– Early Pleistocene PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Deinotherium
Life restoration of Deinotherium bozasi
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Proboscidea
Suborder:	†Plesielephantiformes
Family:	†Deinotheriidae Bonaparte, 1845
Type genus
†Deinotherium Kaup, 1829
Genera
Subfamily †Chilgatheriinae †Chilgatherium Subfamily †Deinotheriinae †Prodeinotherium †Deinotherium

Deinotheriidae ("terrible beasts") is a family of prehistoric elephant-like proboscideans that lived during the Cenozoic era, first appearing in Africa, then spreading across southern Asia (Indo-Pakistan) and Europe. During that time, they changed very little, apart from growing much larger in size; by the late Miocene, they had become the largest land animals of their time. Their most distinctive features were their lack of upper tusks and downward-curving tusks on the lower jaw.

Deinotheres were not very diverse; the only three known genera are Chilgatherium, Prodeinotherium, and Deinotherium. These form an evolutionary succession, with each new genus replacing the preceding one. The last deinotheres persisted until the end of the Early Pleistocene in Africa, around 1 million years ago.