Lot 968
Complete Finger of Huge Ground Sloth. Ground sloths in North America grew to great size before becoming extinct. Paramylodon harlani was more than 7 feet tall at the hips, weighed almost 2 tons and lived 1-2 million years ago in Alachua County, Florida. This gigantic rare black 10 inch long finger has a 5.25 inch slightly curved claw missing just a small part of the tip plus three finger bones. This huge claw was the largest of the four hand claws and used for defense against predators and to dig up roots. Paramylodon also had small dermal bones embedded in its skin for additional protection against predators. Paramylodon could stand upright and was mostly a vegetarian but it also occasionally ate meat. Ground sloths also have an important place in the history of paleontology in the U.S. as President Thomas Jefferson wrote a letter in August, 1796 about a large claw that he found from a ground sloth; this extinct animal was named after him, Megalonyz jeffersoni and marked the beginning of vertebrate paleontology in the United States. Housed in a 12 x 8 inch Riker Mount.,
Allow $25 for domestic shipping.
Estimated Value $650 - 800.
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