Main Menu

Class Mammalia
Order Pilosa
Family Mylodontidae

rule

Paramylodon sp.—Paramylodon Ground Sloths // Paramylodon garbanii—Gaban's Ground Sloth // Paramylodon harlani—Harlan's Ground Sloth

Paramylodon sp.—Paramylodon Ground Sloths Pleistocene distribution of Paramylodon sp.

Sites.

Irvingtonian/Rancholabrean: Manix Lake (Jefferson 1991b).

Rancholabrean: Bolsa Chica State Park (Jefferson 1991b); Brea Canyon (Jefferson 1991b); Carbon Canyon (Jefferson 1991b); Century Blvd. and Van Ness Ave. (Jefferson 1991b); Conception Station (Jefferson 1991b); Hicks Canyon (Jefferson 2014); Los Alamos (Jefferson 1991b); Los Angeles Harbor Berth No. 128 (Jefferson 1991b); Palos Verdes Hills, Green Hills Memorial Park (Jefferson 1991b); San Clemente (Jefferson 1991b); San Fernando Dam (Jefferson 1991b); Woodland Hills, Canoga Park (Jefferson 1991b).

Sangamon: Gaffey and Tenth streets, San Pedro (Jefferson 1991b: cf. gen.).

Mid Wisconsin: Térapa (Mead et al. 2006).

Literature. Jefferson 1991, 2014; Mead et al. 2006.

rule

Paramylodon garbanii (Montellano and Carranza-Castaneda 1981)—Garban's Ground SlothRegional Pleistocene distribution of Paramylodon garbanii.

Synonyms: Glossotherium chapadmalense, Glossotherium garbanii.

The genus Glossotherium was first used for a South American ground sloth. Several authors have found differences between Glossotherium and North American mylodonids, leading to the resurrection of Paramylodon for North American sloths previously assigned to Glossotherium (Morgan 2008). Morgan (2008) tentatively referred those mylodont sloths that were somewhat smaller than Paramylodon harlani to Paramylodon garbanii in preference to Glossotherium chapadmalense.

Sites.

Late Blancan: 111 Ranch (Morgan and White 2005); La Union Fauna (Chamberino Local Fauna) (McDonald and Morgan 2011); La Union Fauna (La Union Local Fauna) (McDonald and Morgan 2011).

Literature. Morgan 2008; McDonald and Morgan 2011; Morgan and White 2005.


rule

Paramylodon harlani (Owen 1840)—Harlan's Ground SlothPleistocene distribution of Paramylodon harlani.

Synonyms. Glossotherium harlani.

Skeleton of Paramylodon harlani

Kurtén and Anderson (1980) characterized Harlan's Ground Sloth as a grassland species widespread in the U.S. during the Irvingtonian and Rancholabrean. They further note that it differs from Megalonyx and Nothrotheriops by larger size, lobate teeth, and dermal ossicles (bone nodules imbedded within the skin).

Fig. 1. Skeleton of Paramylodon harlani from La Brea Tar Pits. Photograph courtesy of David Monniaux, under GNU Free Documentation License.

Sites.

Late Blancan/Irvingtonian: Anza-Borrego (Murray 2008).

Early Irvingtonian: Gypsum Ridge (Wagner and Prothero 2001).

Late Irvingtonian: Elsinore: Pauba Formation (Pajak et al. 1996).

Early Rancholabrean: Albuquerque Gravel Pits (Morgan and Lucas 2005).

Rancholabrean: Badlands Ranch (Morgan and Lucas 2003); Canyon de Chelly (Mead et al. 2005); Harbor Freeway and 112-113th streets (Jefferson 1991b); Los Angeles Brick Yard No. 3 (Jefferson 1991b); Metro Rail U.C. Station (Jefferson 2014); Park La Brea A (Jefferson 2014); Park La Brea B (Jefferson 2014); Point Sal (Jefferson 1991b: cf.); Salt Creek, California (Jefferson 1991b); Springerville (McDonald et al. 2004); Thompson Sand Pit (Jefferson 2014).

Sangamon: Naval Housing Unit (Jefferson 1991b); Pecho Creek (Jefferson 1991b).

Wisconsin: Costeau Pit (Jefferson 1991b: cf.); Imperial Highway (Jefferson 1991b: cf.); La Brea Blvd. and San Vicente St. (Jefferson 1991b: cf.).

Mid Wisconsin: Central Park West, Irvine (Smith 2006); McKittrick (Schultz 1937): Pauba Mesa (Jefferson 2014); Shonto (Agenbroad and Downs 1984).

Mid/Late Wisconsin: Diamond Valley (Springer et al. 2009); Rancho La Brea (Stock and Harris.

Late Wisconsin: Blackwater Draw (Morgan and Lucas 2005); Jal Horse Quarry (Morgan and Lucas 2005; Schultz 1943: ?); Park Place, Irvine (Jefferson 2014); Pauba Mesa (Jefferson 2014); Roswell (McDonald and Morgan 2011).

Literature. Agenbroad and Downs 1984; Jefferson 1991b, 2014; Kurtén and Anderson 1980; McDonald and Morgan 2011; McDonald et al. 2004; Mead et al. 2005; Morgan and Lucas 2003, 2005; Murray 2008; Pajak et al. 1996; Schultz 1937, 1943; Smith 2006; Springer et al. 2009; Stock and Harris 1992; Wagner and Prothero 2001.

rule

Last Update: 23 May 2015