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Mylodontidae

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Kingdom  Animalia
Subclass  Theria
Superorder  Xenarthra
Scientific name  Mylodontidae
Rank  Family
Phylum  Chordata
Infraclass  Eutheria
Order  Pilosa
Higher classification  Sloth
Mylodontidae httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsthu

Similar  Megatheriidae, Xenarthra, Sloth, Mammal, Glossotherium

Mylodontidae is a family of extinct mammals within the order of Pilosa and suborder Folivora living from approximately 23 mya—11,000 years ago, existing for approximately 22.89 million years. This family of ground sloths is related to the other families of extinct ground sloths, Megatheriidae and Nothrotheriidae. The only extant families of the suborder Folivora are Bradypodidae and Megalonychidae (the latter has extinct terrestrial species as well as extant arboreal species). Phylogenetic analyses using homologous sequences from all extant edentate groups indicates that Mylodontidae was more closely related to Megalonychidae than to Bradypodidae.

The mylodontids together with their relatives form Mylodonta, the second radiation of ground sloths. The discovery of their fossils in caverns associated with human occupation lead some early researchers to theorize that the early humans built corrals when they could procure a young ground sloth, to raise the animal to butchering size. However, radiocarbon dates do not support simultaneous occupation of the site by humans and sloths. Subfossil remains like coproliths, fur and skin have been discovered in some quantities.

Family: Mylodontidae Gill, 1872

  • Urumacotherium (incertae sedis)
  • Pseudoprepotherium
  • Mirandabradys
  • Subfamily Lestodontinae
  • Bolivartherium
  • Tribe Thinobadistini
  • Genus Thinobadistes
  • Genus Sphenotherus
  • Tribe Glossotheriini
  • Genus Acremylodon
  • Genus Ranculcus
  • Genus Glossotherium
  • Genus Paramylodon
  • Genus Mylodonopsis
  • Tribe Lestodontini
  • Genus Lestodon
  • Genus Lestodontidion
  • Subfamily Mylodontinae
  • Genus Glossotheriopsis
  • Genus Promylodon
  • Genus Strabosodon
  • Genus Megabradys
  • Genus Pleurolestodon
  • Genus Mylodon
  • Subfamily Scelidotheriinae
  • Genus Chubutherium
  • Genus Scelidotheriops
  • Genus Analcitherium
  • Genus Nematherium
  • Genus Neonematherium
  • Genus Elassotherium
  • Genus Scelidotherium
  • Genus Catonyx
  • Genus Proscelidodon
  • References

    Mylodontidae Wikipedia