RUMINANTS : The all time strongest
The recent volumetric analysis on the morphology and body mass of relatively less known, short necked Shivatherine giraffid, Sivatherium giganteum from the Pliocene Himalayan foothills yeilds the estimated body weight greater than in extant giraffes, despite the fact that the authors didn't include gigantic cranial appendages of the animal nor did they deal with the larger skeletal material discovered at the same locality.
This suggests that S. giganteum(or some other similarly heavily built sivatherine species, like Birgerbohlinia schaubi) was perhaps the largest ruminant to have ever existed.
There were however, some other ruminant members that could compete for the title of the largest, namely some ancient bovine species from the Pleistocene time.
Here I select, not only some of the largest but also some smaller, but no less formidable(I think) species out of this diverse group of herbivores known as Ruminantia. But I also use the term 'ruminant' in the broader sense here and add Toxodon sp. to the list, which was ofcourse not a true member of ruminantia at all but the South American notoungulates are also considered to have relied on rumination, so are some marsupial macropods.
These are essentially some of the most impressive beasts muscularity wise and among some of the most powerful terrestial mammals ever on the planet earth. Which do you predict would win through the mass olympia of the animal kingdom?(not muscularity contest, though)
(The outcome would be decided by predominance during the fight or other one becoming unable to continue fighting due to damages or giving up fighting/running away etc.)
-Contestants: (some colloquial names are made up for convenience sake)
Bison latifrons at Ueno national science and nature museum(Photograph by ⓒthe Saber Panther)
Megaloceros giganteum at Ueno national science and nature museum(Photograph by ⓒthe Saber Panther)
Toxodon platensis at Ueno national science and nature museum(Photograph by ⓒthe Saber Panther)
Bison latifrons (Long horned bison)
The Pleistocene North America
Bos taurus spp. (Spanish fighting bull)
The Holocene Europe
Giraffa tippelskirchi (Massai giraffe)
The Holocene Eastern Africa
Megaloceros giganteum (Irish elk)
The Pleistocene Eurasia
Pelorovis antiquus (Giant African buffalo)
The Pleistocene Eastern Africa
Sivatherium giganteum (Giant short necked giraffe)
The Pliocene Central Asia
Taurotragus derbianus gigas (Giant eland)
The Holocene Central Africa
Toxodon platensis (South American hippo-rhino)
The Pleistocene South America
-Match ups:
Battle 1
Megaloceros giganteum vs. Bison latifrons
Battle 2
Toxodon plantensis vs. Giraffa tippelskirchi
Battle 3
Bos taurus spp. vs. Sivatherium giganteum
Battle 4
Taurotragus derbianus gigas vs. Pelorovis antiquus
Battle 5
winner of 1 vs. winner of 2
Battle 6
winner of 3 vs. winner of 4
Final
winner of 5 vs. winner of 6
by the Saber Panther
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