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Proeremotherium
''Proeremotherium'' is an extinct genus of megatheriine ground sloths in the family Megatheriidae. It lived during the Late Miocene and Early Pliocene of what is now Venezuela. So far, two largely complete skulls have been recovered in the Falcón Basin in Venezuela. The finds identify the animals as medium-sized representatives of the Megatheriidae. In the cranial anatomy, ''Proeremotherium'' resembles the later and giant ''Eremotherium''. It is therefore assumed that the two ground sloths are directly related to each other. Etymology The genus name, ''Proeremotherium'', is derived from the Latin prefix pro- meaning "before", and the genus ''Eremotherium'' in reference to the assumed close relationship between the two genera. The specific name refers to the locality where the holotype was discovered, in the El Jebe Member of the Codore Formation. Description ''Proeremotherium'' was a medium-sized member of the Megatheriidae and significantly smaller than the related ''Ere ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eremotherium
''Eremotherium'' (from Greek for "steppe" or "desert beast": ἔρημος "steppe or desert" and θηρίον "beast") is an extinct genus of giant ground sloth, in the family Megatheriidae, the largest and most heavily built family of sloths. ''Eremotherium'' lived in the southern parts of North America and the northern parts of South America from the Pliocene, around 5.3 million years ago, to the end of the Late Pleistocene, around 10,000 years ago. ''Eremotherium'' was widespread in tropical and subtropical lowlands and lived there in partly open and closed landscapes, while its close relative ''Megatherium'' lived in more temperate climes. Both genera reached the size of today's elephants and were among the largest mammals in the Americas. Characteristic of ''Eremotherium'' was its robust physique with comparatively long limbs and front and hind feet especially for later representatives- three fingers. However, the skull is relatively gracile, the teeth are uniform and high ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Megatheriinae
Megatheriinae is a subfamily of the Megatheriidae, an extinct family of ground sloths that lived from the Middle Miocene to the Early Holocene. Classification Within the Megatheriidae there are two (possibly three) subfamilies; the Megatheriinae and the Planopsinae. The phylogenetically older group is represented by the Planopsinae from the Lower and Middle Miocene. These still possessed a caniniform anterior tooth, which was separated from the posterior molar-like teeth by a small diastema . The more derived Megatheriinae, which are known from the Middle Miocene to the Early Holocene, on the other hand, had fully homodontic molars in a closed row. Originally, the subfamilies of the Nothrotheriinae and the Schismotheriinae were also placed in the Megatheriidae. Based on skull studies, the Nothrotheriidae, in which, among other genera, ''Nothrotherium'', ''Nothrotheriops,'' and the semiaquatic ''Thalassocnus ''Thalassocnus'' is an extinct genus of semiaquatic ground sloths from ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Megatheriinae
Megatheriinae is a subfamily of the Megatheriidae, an extinct family of ground sloths that lived from the Middle Miocene to the Early Holocene. Classification Within the Megatheriidae there are two (possibly three) subfamilies; the Megatheriinae and the Planopsinae. The phylogenetically older group is represented by the Planopsinae from the Lower and Middle Miocene. These still possessed a caniniform anterior tooth, which was separated from the posterior molar-like teeth by a small diastema . The more derived Megatheriinae, which are known from the Middle Miocene to the Early Holocene, on the other hand, had fully homodontic molars in a closed row. Originally, the subfamilies of the Nothrotheriinae and the Schismotheriinae were also placed in the Megatheriidae. Based on skull studies, the Nothrotheriidae, in which, among other genera, ''Nothrotherium'', ''Nothrotheriops,'' and the semiaquatic ''Thalassocnus ''Thalassocnus'' is an extinct genus of semiaquatic ground sloths from ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
San Gregorio Formation, Venezuela
The San Gregorio Formation is a lithostratigraphic unit dating back to the Pliocene to Pleistocene of Venezuela. The formation is split into three members, the older Vergel Member (Late Pliocene to earliest Pleistocene), the Cocuiza Member (Pleistocene) and the Río Seco Member. During this time the region is thought to have been covered by a mixed environment of open grassland and forested areas surrounding a permanent freshwater system. The diverse fauna of the San Gregorio Formation, including a variety of freshwater fish, crocodilians, turtles and snakes, also includes many mammals interpreted to have been part of the first major wave of the Great American Interchange in addition to native clades such as glyptodonts, ground sloths and caviomorph rodents. Stratigraphy The San Gregorio Formation overlies the Codore Formation and forms the most recent sequence of the stratigraphic section. Outcrops of this formation are found in Falcón State, northeast of the town of Urumaco. T ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Megathericulus
''Megathericulus'' is an extinct genus of ground sloths in the Megatheriidae family. It lived during the Middle Miocene, 11-16 million years ago in what is now South America . Fossils have been found principally in Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru. It is a smaller representative of the megatheres. Despite being one of the earliest-known members of the family, its dentition structure is associated with homodont teeth belonging to the more modern line of development. The genus was scientifically named in 1904. Only one species is currently recognized, ''Megathericulus patagonicus.'' Description ''Megathericulus'' is a small member of the Megatheriidae. The known find material of the genus consists of individual skull finds, remains of teeth and parts of the musculoskeletal system. The skull measured up to 33 cm in length, it was elongated and narrow with the greatest width in the area of the anterior zygomatic arch and the mastoid process and slight constrictions near the orbit. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Magdalenabradys
''Magdalenabradys'' is an extinct genus of mylodontid ground sloths that lived during the Middle Miocene and Early Pliocene of what is now Colombia and Venezuela. Fossils have been found in the Villavieja Formation of the Honda Group in Colombia, and the Codore and Urumaco Formations of Venezuela. Discovery The first remains of ''Magdalenabradys'' were found in the Villavieja Formation of the Honda Group in the strata of the Tatacoa Desert of the Huila Department. The holotype of ''M. confusum'' was found about 9 km east of Villavieja and 2.5 km northeast of Hacienda Argentina, Huila. The holotype consisted of a crushed and distorted skull. The femur is based on eight specimens from six localities, including one femur from a partial skeleton that included a skull and mandible (specimens UCMP 3800, 37999). The cranium and partial mandible of both species were originally assigned to '' Bolivartherium urumaquensis''. Etymology The generic name, ''Magdalenabradys'' i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pseudoprepotherium
''Pseudoprepotherium'' is an extinct genus of sloths of the family Mylodontidae. It was widespread across northern South America during the Early to Late Miocene epoch around 21 to 5.3 million years ago. Fossils of the animal have been found in Brazil, Venezuela, and Peru. ''Pseudoprepotherium'' lived in a tropical climate with a water-rich environment. Their known remains are limited to limb bones, except for a few skulls and teeth. Based on these remains, they were most likely medium to large-sized mylodontid. The genus was described in 1961 and currently contains three species, which were originally assigned to the genus ''Prepotherium''. Description ''Pseudoprepotherium'' is a medium to a large-sized member of the family Mylodontidae. The material documented so far consists mainly of limb bones but includes individual skulls and remains of jaws. Body weight of around 550kg is reconstructed for the smaller relatives using a thigh bone around 42cm long. Large molds with femur l ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bolivartherium
''Bolivartherium'' is an extinct genus of mylodontine mylodontid sloth that lived during the Late Miocene and Late Pliocene in what is now Venezuela. Fossils have been found in the Codore and Urumaco Formations of Venezuela. Etymology The generic name, ''Bolivartherium'', is named in honour of Libertador Simón Bolívar, a Venezuelan military and political leader. The specific name is derived from the Urumaco Formation in which it was found in. A second species, ''B. codorensis'', was named in 2006 after the Codore Formation in which it was found in. Description ''Bolivartherium'' is a medium-sized mylodontine that was smaller than the quaternary species of ''Lestodon''. It can be distinguished from the latter in having a lower rostrum and the upper caniform which is more curved than in ''Lestodon'', much like ''Lestodon'' sp. from the Monte Hermoso Formation (Montehermosan) of Argentina. The diastema in front of the molariforms is elevated with respect to the occlusal pl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nothrotheriidae
Nothrotheriidae is a family of extinct ground sloths that lived from approximately 17.5 mya—10,000 years ago, existing for approximately . Previously placed within the tribe Nothrotheriini or subfamily Nothrotheriinae within Megatheriidae, they are now usually placed in their own family, Nothrotheriidae. Nothrotheriids appeared in the Burdigalian, some 19.8 million years ago, in South America. The group includes the comparatively slightly built ''Nothrotheriops'', which reached a length of about . While nothrotheriids were small compared to some of their megatheriid relatives, their claws provided an effective defense against predators, like those of larger anteaters today. Evolution During the late Miocene and Pliocene, the sloth genus ''Thalassocnus'' of the west coast of South America became adapted to a shallow-water marine lifestyle. However, the family placement of ''Thalassocnus'' has been disputed; while long considered a nothrotheriid, one recent analysis moves it to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Megatheriidae
Megatheriidae is a family of extinct ground sloths that lived from approximately 23 mya—11,000 years ago. Megatheriids appeared during the Late Oligocene (Deseadan in the SALMA classification), some 29 million years ago, in South America. The group includes the heavily built '' Megatherium'' (given its name 'great beast' by Georges Cuvier) and ''Eremotherium''. An early genus that was originally considered a megatheriid, the more slightly built ''Hapalops'', reached a length of about . The nothrotheres have recently been placed in their own family, Nothrotheriidae. The skeletal structure of these ground sloths indicates that the animals were massive. Their thick bones and even thicker joints (especially those on the hind legs) gave their appendages tremendous power that, combined with their size and fearsome claws, provided a formidable defense against predators. The earliest megatheriid in North America was ''Sibotherium'' which arrived 5.3 million years ago, after cros ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Megalonychidae
Megalonychidae is an extinct family of sloths including the extinct ''Megalonyx''. Megalonychids first appeared in the early Oligocene, about 35 million years (Ma) ago, in southern Argentina (Patagonia). There is actually one possible find dating to the Eocene, about 40 Ma ago, on Seymour Island in Antarctica (which was then still connected to South America). They first reached North America by island-hopping across the Central American Seaway, about 9 million years ago, prior to formation of the Isthmus of Panama about 2.7 million years ago (which led to the main pulse of the Great American Interchange). Some megalonychid lineages increased in size as time passed. The first species of these were small and may have been partly tree-dwelling, whereas the Pliocene (about 5 to 2 million years ago) species were already approximately half the size of the huge Late Pleistocene ''Megalonyx jeffersonii'' from the last ice age.J.L. White (1993) It was formerly believed, based on morpholo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
South American Native Ungulates
South American native ungulates, commonly abbreviated as SANUs, are extinct ungulate-like mammals of controversial affinities that were indigenous to South America prior to the Great American Biotic Interchange. They comprise five major groups conventionally ranked as orders—Astrapotheria, Litopterna, Notoungulata, Pyrotheria, and Xenungulata—as well as some other taxa, such as Didolodontidae and Kollpaniidae. It has been proposed that some or all of the members of this group form a clade, named Meridiungulata, though the relationships of South American ungulates remain largely unresolved. The two largest groups of South American ungulates, the notoungulates and the litopterns, were the only groups to persist beyond the mid Miocene. Only a few of the largest species of notoungulates and litopterns survived until the end-Pleistocene extinctions. Though most SANUs lived in South America, astrapotheres and litopterns are known from Eocene aged deposits in the Antarctic Peninsul ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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