Megatherium | extinct mammal | Britannica

Megatherium, largest of the ground sloths, an extinct group of mammals belonging to a group containing sloths, anteaters, glyptodonts, and armadillos that ... Megatherium TableofContents Megatherium Introduction FastFacts RelatedContent Media Images More Contributors ArticleHistory Home Science EarthScience,GeologicTime&Fossils Fossils&GeologicTime Megatherium extinctmammal Actions Cite verifiedCite Whileeveryefforthasbeenmadetofollowcitationstylerules,theremaybesomediscrepancies. Pleaserefertotheappropriatestylemanualorothersourcesifyouhaveanyquestions. SelectCitationStyle MLA APA ChicagoManualofStyle CopyCitation Share Share Sharetosocialmedia Facebook Twitter URL https://www.britannica.com/animal/Megatherium GiveFeedback ExternalWebsites Feedback Corrections?Updates?Omissions?Letusknowifyouhavesuggestionstoimprovethisarticle(requireslogin). FeedbackType Selectatype(Required) FactualCorrection Spelling/GrammarCorrection LinkCorrection AdditionalInformation Other YourFeedback SubmitFeedback Thankyouforyourfeedback Oureditorswillreviewwhatyou’vesubmittedanddeterminewhethertorevisethearticle. JoinBritannica'sPublishingPartnerProgramandourcommunityofexpertstogainaglobalaudienceforyourwork! ExternalWebsites Meta-religion-GroundSloths-Megatherium Everything-Megatherium Print Cite verifiedCite Whileeveryefforthasbeenmadetofollowcitationstylerules,theremaybesomediscrepancies. Pleaserefertotheappropriatestylemanualorothersourcesifyouhaveanyquestions. SelectCitationStyle MLA APA ChicagoManualofStyle CopyCitation Share Share Sharetosocialmedia Facebook Twitter URL https://www.britannica.com/animal/Megatherium Feedback ExternalWebsites Feedback Corrections?Updates?Omissions?Letusknowifyouhavesuggestionstoimprovethisarticle(requireslogin). FeedbackType Selectatype(Required) FactualCorrection Spelling/GrammarCorrection LinkCorrection AdditionalInformation Other YourFeedback SubmitFeedback Thankyouforyourfeedback Oureditorswillreviewwhatyou’vesubmittedanddeterminewhethertorevisethearticle. JoinBritannica'sPublishingPartnerProgramandourcommunityofexpertstogainaglobalaudienceforyourwork! ExternalWebsites Meta-religion-GroundSloths-Megatherium Everything-Megatherium By TheEditorsofEncyclopaediaBritannica EditHistory TableofContents Megatherium Seeallmedia RelatedTopics: PleistoceneEpoch CenozoicEra fossil extinction giantgroundsloth ...(Showmore) Seeallrelatedcontent→ Megatherium,largestofthegroundsloths,anextinctgroupofmammalsbelongingtoagroupcontainingsloths,anteaters,glyptodonts,andarmadillosthatunderwentahighlysuccessfulevolutionaryradiationinSouthAmericaintheCenozoicEra(beginning65.5millionyearsago).Thesizeoftheseanimalsapproximatedthatofamodernelephant,andtheywereequippedwithlargeclawsandteeth;thelatterwereconfinedtothesidesofthejaw,becausetheanimalfedlargelyontheleavesoftreesandbushes.GroundslothsappearedbrieflyinNorthAmericaduringthePleistoceneEpoch(2.6millionto11,700yearsago),whenalandconnectionwasestablishedbetweentheAmericancontinents. ThisarticlewasmostrecentlyrevisedandupdatedbyRichardPallardy.