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Grazers of South America

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Description

Barotholus
Scientific name:
Height: 5 feet at the shoulder
Weight: 600 to 800 ibs
Habitat: open grasslands
Native region: southern South America
Evolved from: collared peccary
Lifespan: 30 years
Time period: Xenocene ( 55-62 myf )

- name means " heavy dome " due to its large head
- Barotholus are one of the few remaining ungulates left in South America, as most of them have went extinct millions of years ago due to competition with rodents. They live in herds of up to 30-45 individuals and spend most of their time grazing.
- These animals are characterized by the white band that's found on their face and neck with the addition of a single horn on their snout that's made out of keratin.
- These animals are grazers. Specifically feeding on tall tough grasses. They coexist with another grazing herbivore called saltodromeus; which feeds on short fresh sprouts. The larger herbivores clear up the tall rough grasses so that the smaller herbivores could reach the soft tender plants. Saltodromeus no only could coexist with the barotholus despite filling in the same ecological niche, but the saltodromeus depends on the barotholus for survival.


Saltodromeus
Scientific name:
Height: 3'5 to 4 feet at the shoulder
Weight: 200 ibs
Habitat: grasslands
Native region: southern South America
Evolved from: Patagonian Mara
Lifespan: 20-25 years
Time period: Xenocene ( 55-62 myf )

- name means " hopping runner "
- Saltodromeus are mid sized grazing herbivores native to South America. They're Commonly found in herds of up to 25-50. With so many individuals in one herd, they could watch out for potential threats that may pounce and any moment such as terrognathus, xenofelis, and the pseudo-terror birds.
- Due to the absence of most ungulates in this isolated continent, rodents were able to expand and occupy multiple herbivorous niches that traditionally ungulates would have.
- Due to niche partitioning, both saltodromeus and barotholus could coexist by using different types of the same resource. Grass. The saltodromeus basically depends on the barotholus for survival as they're unable to reach the soft sprouts without the barotholus clearing out the tall tough grasses.

There's a subtle hint for the contest theme for july

Commissioned by Sheather888
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