megafauna
noun
mega·fau·na
ˈme-gə-ˌfȯ-nə 
-ˌfä-
1
: animals (such as bears, bison, or mammoths) of particularly large size
2
: fauna consisting of individuals large enough to be visible to the naked eye
Examples of megafauna in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In the past decade, however, the argument that humans hunted Pleistocene megafauna into extinction has gained considerable support from new archaeological and fossil evidence.
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Ferris Jabr, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 July 2024
The megafauna didn’t survive that change, but smaller animals like coyotes, mule deer, raccoons and turkey vultures adapted and managed to hang on, and so did many plants.
—Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2024
The new research also highlights how a number of megafauna that exist today may be at risk.
—Conor Feehly, Discover Magazine, 26 June 2024
The Past Cave paintings reveal what extinct animals may have looked like
Rock art in northern Australia depicts marsupial lions, giant kangaroos, and other megafauna that populated the Land Down Under long ago.
—Big Think, 24 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for megafauna 
Ferris Jabr, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 July 2024
The megafauna didn’t survive that change, but smaller animals like coyotes, mule deer, raccoons and turkey vultures adapted and managed to hang on, and so did many plants.
—Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2024
The new research also highlights how a number of megafauna that exist today may be at risk.
—Conor Feehly, Discover Magazine, 26 June 2024
The Past Cave paintings reveal what extinct animals may have looked like
Rock art in northern Australia depicts marsupial lions, giant kangaroos, and other megafauna that populated the Land Down Under long ago.
—Big Think, 24 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for megafauna
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'megafauna.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Megafauna.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/megafauna. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
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