Windhausenia fossil map
Where fossils of Windhausenia have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 5 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 5 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Early mammals |
|---|---|
| Lived | 5.333–0.774 million years ago (Zanclean to Calabrian) |
| Periods | Neogene, Quaternary |
| Family | Macraucheniidae |
| Named by | Kraglievich 1930 |
| Fossil records | 6 occurrences at 3 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Argentina |
| Rock formations | Vorohué, Uquía, Maimará |
About Windhausenia
Windhausenia is an extinct genus of mammals belonging to the family Macraucheniidae and the order Litopterna. While it reached the size of its better known relative Macrauchenia, its constitution was lighter. Remains from the genus have been uncovered in Argentina.
Windhausenia fossils were only found in the middle layers of the Uquía Formation. The genus was described in 1930 by Kraglievich, who considered it more derived than Promacrauchenia, but less than Macrauchenia.
The genus survived the Great American Interchange. It had to compete with more derived relatives such as Macrauchenia, and may have occupied a specialised ecological niche to avoid competition. Its remains are found in subtropical areas, while other genera were found in tropical and temperate environment. As fossils of this genus are often found in association with aeolian deposits, corresponding with arid and semiarid environments, it is possible it occupied environments more similar to those of modern camels than its relative Macrauchenia.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Windhausenia (revision 1359328795), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q60977310.
