The Crash of Megafauna Epochs

The Crash of Megafauna Epochs

by the Saber Panther

Within the Cenozoic, two epochs stand out and tower over others regarding megafaunal abundance both in land carnivores and herbivores alike: the Miocene and the Pleistocene.

The lengthy Miocene apparently leads the rest in terms of the variety of large carnivorous beasts especially bone cracking and saber tooth types(and reptiles too!) but the Pleistocene is also renowned as the era of giants, when it comes to the Ice Age is concerned.

On this occasion, I select some of representative animals of both the epochs, from ultra big to super big to big, with the intention of making mega faunal match ups between the two charismatic mammal eras. Like in real boxing or MMA, opponents are only matched based on similar weight classes.

Which opponent do you think would win and which epoch would have more victories?

This is just for vulgar entertainment and also, not by any means for seeing which epoch possessed more 'superior' animals or anything like that! Just to imagine crazy super battles that are set beyond space and time.

* Each body mass estimate is from or based on respectable sources. But I reckon some of them are not necessarily average figures.


Team Miocene ('Super Beasts')

Stegotetrabelodon syrticus 12t
Deinotherium giganteum 12t
Purussaurus brasiliensis 8t
Granastrapotherium snorki 3.5t
Amphicyon ingens 600kg
Megistotherium osteothlastes 600kg
Kubanochoerus gigas 500kg
Dinocrocuta macrodonta 350kg
Machairodus kabir 350kg
Barbourofelis fricki 280kg
Megalictis ferox 90kg


Team Pleistocene ('Ice Age Titans')

Palaeoloxodon antiquus 12t
Mammuthus columbi 10t
Megatherium americanum 5t
Elasmotherium sibiricum 4t
Bison priscus 800kg
Arctodus simus 700kg
Gigantopithecus blacki 500kg
Megalania prisca 450kg
Smilodon populator 350kg
Smilodon fatalis 280kg
Thylacoleo carnifex 100kg


Match-ups

Battle K (weight class= Heavy weight)
Megalictis ferox 90kg vs Thylacoleo carnifex 100kg

Battle J (weight class= Super heavy weight)
Barbourofelis fricki 280kg vs Smilodon fatalis 280kg

Battle I (weight class= Mega fauna)
Dinocrocuta macrodonta 350kg vs Megalania prisca 450kg

Battle H (weight class= Mega fauna)
Machairodus kabir 350kg vs Smilodon populator 350kg

Battle G (weight class= Super Mega fauna)
Megistotherium osteothlastes 600kg vs Gigantopithecus blacki 500kg

Battle F (weight class= Super Mega fauna)
Kubanochoerus gigas 500kg vs Bison priscus 800kg

Battle E (weight class= Super Mega fauna)
Amphicyon ingens 600kg vs Arctodus simus 700kg

Battle D (weight class= Giga fauna)
Granastrapotherium snorki 3.5t vs Elasmotherium sibiricum 4t

Battle C (weight class= Giga fauna)
Purussaurus brasiliensis 8t vs Megatherium americanum 5t

Battle B (weight class= Super Giga fauna)
Deinotherium giganteum 12t vs Palaeoloxodon antiquus 12t

Battle A (weight class= Super Giga fauna)
Stegotetrabelodon syrticus 12t vs Mammuthus columbi 10t