Nothrotherium

Nothrotherium
Skull of Nothrotherium
Conservation status
Fossil
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Xenarthra
Family:	†Nothrotheriidae
Genus:	†Nothrotherium Lydekker, 1889
Species
N. maquinense Lund, 1839 N. escrivanense Reinhardt 1878
Synonyms
Coelodon Lund, 1838 Caelodon Lund, 1839 Coclodon Lund, 1839 Cyclodon Lund, 1839 Toelodon Lund, 1840 Hypocoelus Ameghino, 1891

Nothrotherium is an extinct genus of medium-sized ground sloth from South America (Bolivia and Brazil) and North America (Mexico and southwestern United States).^[1][2] It differs from Nothrotheriops in smaller size and differences in skull and hind leg bones, but both genera can be traced back to Hapolops, the genus which both evolved from in different ecological conditions.^[3] This genus formerly included the species Nothrotheriops shastensis, which was later moved to Nothrotheriops. These browsing ground sloths consumed roots, stems, seeds, and leaves of various desert plants, such as the yucca and agave.^[4]

Skin

The species N. maquinense is named after the Maquiné Grotto in Brazil, where it was found.

Synonyms such as Coelodon occasionally cause confusion where they occur in early texts such as that of Alfred Russel Wallace's major work, "The Geographical Distribution of Animals".^[5]

References

1. PaleoBiology Database: Nothrotherium, basic info
2. "Nothrotherium". Fossil Works.
3. Stock: Skull and Dentition of Nothrotherium. Princeton University. 1918. pp. 163–170.
4. Kurtén, Björn (1980). Pleistocene Mammals of North America. Columbia University Press. p. 141.
5. Wallace, Alfred Russel (1876). The Geographical Distribution of Animals (Google Books). Harper and brothers.

• Classification of Mammals by Malcolm C. McKenna and Susan K. Bell