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Tapirus

Tapirus is a genus of tapir which contains the living tapir species. The Malayan tapir is usually included in Tapirus as well, although some authorities have moved it into its own genus, Acrocodia.

Extant species

The Kabomani tapir was at one point recognized as another living member of the genus, but is now considered to be nested within T. terrestris.

Evolution

The genus Tapirus first appeared during the Middle Miocene (around 16-10 million years ago), known fossils in both Europe (T. telleri) and North America (T. johnsoni and T. polkensis). The youngest tapir in Europe, Tapirus arvernensis became extinct at the end of the Pliocene, around 2.6 million years ago. Tapirus dispersed into South America during the Early Pleistocene as part of the Great American Interchange, around 2.6-1 million years ago.

Tapirs suffered considerable extinctions at the end of the Pleistocene, and went completely extinct north of southern Mexico.

Fossil species

References