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Pliocene Epoch

5 million to 2.58 million years ago

Until about 3 to 4 million years ago, North and South America were separated by water and had developed their own unique flora and fauna. But during the Pliocene a land bridge formed across Panama, allowing for organisms to travel from one continent to the other. It’s referred to as the Great American Biotic Interchange and many of these animals eventually migrated to Florida. Explore some of the terrestrial animals of Florida’s Pliocene:

a landscape painting of open grassland, trees and small stream with many animals of the Pliocene
Florida Museum painting by Carl Buell

This painting was commissioned from artist Carl Buell for our Florida Fossils exhibit. Learn about the Pliocene animals represented:

Illustration showing terrestrial scene with each animal only a numbered shape
Painting key by Florida Museum staff
  1. Titanis walleri (terror bird)
  2. Erethizon poyeri (Poyer’s porcupine)
  3. Eremotherium eomigrans (giant ground sloth)
  4. Capromeryx arizonensis (Skinner’s pronghorn)
  5. Alligator species
  6. Ardea species (Great heron)
  7. Glyptotherium texanum (glyptodont)
  8. Arctodus pristinus (early short-faced bear)
  9. Rhynchotherium edense (gomphothere)
  10. Chasmaporthetes ossifragus (American hunting hyena)
  11. Equus species (horse)
  12. Xenosmilus hodsonae (Hodson’s scimitar-toothed cat)
  13. Gymnogyps kofordi (Koford’s condor)

Highlights

Due to the land bridge forming across Panama, many species migrated to North America and began appearing in Florida at the end of the Pliocene. Species like terror birds (Titanis walleri) and that were new to our state were now sharing territory with long-time residents like alligators (Alligator mississippiensis). Horses similar to modern Equus first start to appear in the fossil record for this time too. Explore the history of horses in North America’s fossil record

Hodson’s scimitar-toothed cat, Xenosmilus hodsonae, on display at the Florida Museum’s Florida Fossil exhibit. Florida Museum photo by Kristen Grace
Glyptodont, Glyptotherium arizonae, full skeletal mount and sculpture, on display at the Florida Museum’s Florida Fossil exhibit. Florida Museum photo by Kristen Grace
Alligator mississippiensis, specimen UF 18746. Florida Museum vertebrate paleontology photo

This period of great change saw many species disappear as well. The southern part of the state was still under water and our peninsula looked much different during the Pliocene than it does today. An early horse, Neohipparion eurystyle, and Fite’s saber-tooth cat (Rhizosmilodon fiteae) are two of the many Florida species that date to the early Pliocene. There are even specimens of walrus (Ontocetus emmonsi) in our collection from the early Pliocene.

Neohipparion eurystyle, specimen UF 53533. Florida Museum vertebrate paleontology photo
Neohipparion eurystyle, specimen UF 53533. Florida Museum vertebrate paleontology photo
Rhizosmilodon fiteae, specimen UF 124634. Florida Museum vertebrate paleontology photo
Ontoceus emmonsi, specimen UF 160756. Florida Museum vertebrate paleontology photo
Ontoceus emmonsi, specimen UF 160756. Florida Museum vertebrate paleontology photo
Ontoceus emmonsi, specimen UF 125201. Florida Museum vertebrate paleontology photo

The Kyptoceras amatorum was an early artiodactyl, the broad group of even-toed ungulates that includes modern pigs, goats, camels, llamas, deer and more. This species had an interesting set of ‘horns’ which where actually ossicones instead of true horns or antlers like deer and bulls have. Ossicones are made of bone and covered in skin, which is what modern giraffes have. Read about Kyptoceras amatorum from the early Pliocene

Kyptoceras amatorum, specimen UF 25711. Florida Museum vertebrate paleontology photo
Kyptoceras amatorum, specimen UF 25711. Florida Museum vertebrate paleontology photo
Kyptoceras amatorum, specimen UF 25711. Florida Museum vertebrate paleontology photo

Explore more fossils

Tapirus polkensis, specimen UF 14445. Florida Museum vertebrate paleontology photo
Arctonasua eurybates, specimen UF 24389. Florida Museum vertebrate paleontology photo
Eucyon davisi, specimen UF 45884. Florida Museum vertebrate paleontology photo
Megalonyx curvidens, specimen UF 25694. Florida Museum vertebrate paleontology photo
Megalonyx curvidens, specimen UF 25694. Florida Museum vertebrate paleontology photo
Macrochelys auffenbergi, specimen UF 58055. Florida Museum vertebrate paleontology photo

Note: Because our scientific knowledge is always expanding, some information like species names may have changed since the Florida Fossils exhibit was opened in 2004. The information on this page has been updated and may differ from the exhibit panel.

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