Nothrotheriops shastensis Sinclair, 1905
Mammalia
Xenarthra
Pilosa
Nothrotheriidae
Late Pleistocene
Western North America
Length: 2.75 m
The Shasta Ground Sloth is the most common Ground Slot found in the La Brea Tar Pits in California, and remains of this animal have been found throughout the South Western part of the United States. Preserved dried dungs found in caves of this animal indicate that it played an important role on the dispersal of the Joshua Trees.
References:
Sinclair, W. J. (1905). New mammalia from the Quaternary caves of California. University of California Publication Bulletin of the Department of Geology, 4(7),145-161
Poinar, H. N., Hofreiter, M., Spaulding, W. G., Martin, P. S., Stankiewicz, B. A., Bland, H., ... & Pääbo, S. (1998). Molecular coproscopy: dung and diet of the extinct ground sloth Nothrotheriops shastensis. Science, 281(5375), 402-406.
November 27, 2016
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