Sloth

Sloths belong to the group called Xenarthrans, formerly called Edentata, including anteaters, glyptodonts, armadillos and sloths. Those from Florida evolved in South America. Most fossil xenarthrans have no enamel on their teeth, but the teeth continued to grow throughout the life of the animal so as to compensate for this.
There were basically three different types or genus of sloths in Florida, the mylodontids, the megalonychids, and the megatheres. The first includes the Thinobastides in the Miocene, and the small Glossotherium chapadmalense and the larger Paramylodon harlani. These are ones which have the straight, more rounded in cross-section claw cores.

The second group are the megalonychids which arrived in the late Miocene and lasted until the late Pleistocene. These start with the Pliometanastes and grow progressively larger through M. curvidens, (early Pliocene), leptostomus, (late Pliocene-early Pleistocene) M. wheatleyi, and M. jeffersonii. These sloths had more curved, flat claw cores, as did the eremotheres. In the teeth that follow, the smaller teeth are those of the earlier sloths.

The third type includes the enormous eremothere and the much smaller Nothrotheriops texanum. Both of these are relatively more scarce in Florida than the other two types. The large Eremotherium teeth are often found split in half. Indeed, all sloth teeth are fragile and need careful handling.

Sloth Vertebra Paramylodon harlani Pleistocene Hillsborough Co. FL SOLDW
10 by 7 1/2" f1057 same animal as rib below
COMMENTS: wings glued on and crack filled but no restoration. Complete vert and from Leisey Shell Pit

Sloth Rib Paramylodon harlani Pleistocene Hillsborough Co. FL SOLDW
22 1/2" measured straight across f1056
COMMENTS: Complete sloth rib from Leisey Shell Pit. Some glue only, no restoration. Same animal as rib above.

Giant Ground Sloth Tooth Paramylodon harlani Gilchrist Co. FL
2 1/8" $10 order f1047
COMMENTS: pretty fair tooth

Giant Ground Sloth Tooth Paramylodon harlani Gilchrist Co. FL
2 1/8" $10 order f1046
COMMENTS: pretty fair tooth

Sloth Tooth Megalonyx Columbia Co. FL
2" $20 order 1015
COMMENTS: well preserved

Sloth Tooth Megalonyx Columbia Co. FL
2" $12 order f1010
COMMENTS: well preserved

Giant Ground Sloth Tooth Paramylodon harlani Gilchrist Co. FL
2 3/4" $10 order f911
COMMENTS: some ancient damage to occlusal surface, but it is what it is.

Sloth tooth Megalonyx jeffersonii Pleistocene Gilchrist Co. FL
2 7/8" $10 order f911
COMMENTS: some ancient damage to occlusal surface, but it is what it is.

Giant Ground Sloth Tooth Paramylodon harlani Gilchrist Co. FL
21/8" $15 order f897
COMMENTS: nice solid tooth

Sloth Partial Humerus Paramylodon harlani Pleistocene Lee Co. FL
9" wide, 10 1/4" $75 order f1034
COMMENTS: distal portion, very solid with no erosion.

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									Fla miocene

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									Fla miocene