Ahytherium

Ahytherium
Temporal range: Mid-Late Pleistocene (Lujanian)
~0.781–0.012 Ma
↓
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Mammalia
Order:Pilosa
Family:Megalonychidae
Genus:†Ahytherium
Cartelle et al., 2008
Species: †A. aureum
Binomial name
Ahytherium aureum
Cartelle et al., 2008

Ahytherium is an extinct genus of megalonychid sloth found in Brazil.[1][2] The shape of the tail of Ahytherium indicates that it may have been a skilled swimmer, like the marine Thalassocnus.[3]

Poço Azul
Poço Azul (Brazil)

Discovery and taxonomy

The almost-complete fossil of Ahytherium alongside another extinct sloth species Australonyx were discovered in Poço Azul, an underwater cave in Chapada Diamantina National Park in 2005. It was described by Castor Cartelle of Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais.[4] The bones, which had a length of about 3 feet (91 cm) when put together, belong to an animal which presumably was still growing.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Ahytherium at Fossilworks.org
  2. ↑ Cartelle, C., De Iuliis, G., & Pujos, F. (2008). A new species of Megalonychidae (Mammalia, Xenarthra) from the quaternary of Poço Azul (Bahia, Brazil). Comptes Rendus Palevol, 7(6), 335-346.
  3. ↑ Preguiça terrícola com hábitos aquáticos - Ciencia Hoje Archived 2014-10-23 at the Wayback Machine.
  4. ↑ A preguiça de ouro | Revista Pesquisa FAPESP


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