the component of the fauna of a region or period that comprises the larger terrestrial animals
megafauna in American English
(ˈmeɡəˌfɔnə)
noun
Ecology
land animals of a given area that can be seen with the unaided eye
Word origin
[mega- + fauna]mega- is a combining form with the meanings “large, great, grand,” “abnormally large,”used in the formation of compound words; it is also the initial element in units ofmeasure that are equal to one million of the units denoted by the base word (megahertz). Other words that use the affix mega- include: megacorporation, megacycle, megadose, megaphone, megaspore
Examples of 'megafauna' in a sentence
megafauna
But we are attracted to charismatic megafauna.
Smithsonian (2011)
Apparently, it's a lot easier to jog 26 miles when surrounded by hungry megafauna.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The 'megafauna' of the seas — dolphins, whales, turtles, rays and sharks — have seen numbers tumble by 75%.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Scientists have long debated whether humans or climate change were responsible for the extinction of megafauna.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
According to the study authors, the area is ringed with megafauna fossils, suggesting other unfortunate creatures met the same fate.
2019, 'Found: The Remains of a 27,000-Year-Old Sloth That Got Stuck in a Sinkhole', Smithsonianhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/found-remains-27000-year-old-sloth-got-stuck-sinkhole-180971601/