Glossotherium

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Glossotherium
Fossil range: late Pliocene to Pleistocene
Skeleton of Glossotherium robustum, a fossil sloth American Museum of Natural History in New York
Skeleton of Glossotherium robustum, a fossil sloth American Museum of Natural History in New York
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Xenarthra
Family: Mylodontidae
Genus: Glossotherium
Illustration of Glossotherium robustum.
Illustration of Glossotherium robustum.
Glossotherium robustum skeleton.
Glossotherium robustum skeleton.

Glossotherium (literally "Tongue Beast") was a genus of ground sloth. It had a length of about 13 feet (4 m.) snout to tail-tip, and could potentially assume a slight bipedal stance.

Fossils of this animal have been found in South America. It is closely related to Paramylodon of North America, whose specimens have often been confused and assigned to Glossotherium. The earliest Glossotherium specimens are known from the Pliocene of South America and are represented by the species, G. chapadmalense. All specimens of Pleistocene age are typically lumped into G. robustum and a few other questionable species. Further research is needed at the species level.

Due to its size and strength, Glossotherium would have had few natural enemies Apart from Sabre-Toothed Cats Such as Smilodon. It is believed to have died out sometime during the Pleistocene (1.8 million - 12,000 years ago).


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