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The Litoptern, also known as the pseudo-horse, is an order of fossil mammals from the Tertiary Period that displays toe reduction. Three-toed, and even a one-toed horselike form were developed.

This order, known only from South America, was common and varied in early faunas and persisted, in decreasing variety, into the Pleistocene. Early forms are near the condylarths, to such an extent that the litopterns might be considered merely as surviving and diversely specialized condylarths. They seem to have originated in South America from the South American condylarths, and therefore to have the same source as the latter.


Prehistoric mammals

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