Deinotheriidae

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Deinotheriidae Temporal range: Late Oligocene-Early Pleistocene 28–1 Ma 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 during the Oligocene then spreading across Europe and the lower latitudes of Asia during the Miocene epoch. 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. Deinotheres were relatively conservative and showed little morphological change over their evolution, aside from a progressive increase in body size. Some species of Deinotherium are among the largest known land mammals ever, considerably exceeding modern elephants in size. The last members of Deinotherium persisted until the end of the Early Pleistocene in Africa, around 1 million years ago.