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FINEST PRESERVATION ON BOTH JOINTS SHOWN IN TWO IMAGES ABOVE
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ULTRA RARE THINOBADISTES GIANT GROUND SLOTH COMPLETE AND PERFECT RADIUS BONE Suwannee River - Florida, U.S.A. LATE MIOCENE PERIOD: 9 - 5 million years ago Rarer than fossil teeth and claws of this bizarre beast, this is an ULTRA RARE fossil radius bone from the giant ground sloth Thinobadistes segnis of the Late Miocene of prehistoric Florida. This was the very first species of Mylodontid giant ground sloths to appear not just in Florida 9 million years ago, but in all of North America. The main obvious trait of Mylodont molars are their tri-lobed form.This specimen was found deep in a protective Miocene layer at the bottom of the Suwannee River. Fossil bones do not come in finer preservation than this specimen. It is COMPLETELY MINERALIZED and has the weight and sound of porcelain when tapped. The surface is so perfect, it looks as though it came from yesterday instead of 9 million years ago. BOTH ends have the smoothest articulating surfaces on the joints. Surface detail is impossible to improve one. Entire bone is whole and complete. Perfect to accompany a tooth or claw from this animal but infinitely more rare than either. Most fossil mammal bones are incomplete or repaired from multiple bones. This beauty is AS FOUND! Guaranteed NO REPAIR and NO RESTORATION. Especially recommended for the MOST ADVANCED FOSSIL COLLECTION SHOWCASING EXTREME RARITY AND QUALITY SPECIMENS! Ground sloths were slow-moving herbivores that died out at the end of the Pleistocene Period. They are survived today only by dog-sized tree-dwelling forms found in Central and South America. Some prehistoric giant ground sloths grew as large as a modern elephant. Giant ground sloths were so large that they were not able to climb trees, hence their land-roving lifestyle. Giant sloths are related to armadillos, sharing similar designs in their blunt, deep skulls as well as their mandibles. Their jaws were powered by very robust muscles for chewing vegetation and each jaw possessed three to five teeth. Giant ground sloths possessed very large feet sporting massive claws. Their claws were so large that they walked on the sides of their feet. Sloths could stand on their hind legs aided by a very strong tail, to reach vegetation at levels higher than other herbivores could typically reach. Prehistoric Florida was home to three families of giant ground sloths - Mylodontidae, Megatheriidae and Megalonychidae. It is theorized that sloths first entered North America through Florida, nine million years ago from the South American continent. The first sloths in Florida (and North America) were the Mylodonts represented by two species of the genus Thinobadistes and the Megalonychids represented by the genus Pliometanastes. Later in the Pliocene, sloths again entered Florida with two Mylodont species, Glossotherium chapadmalense and Paramylodon harlani, and with the Megalonychids genus, Megalonyx. By the Early Pleistocene, the largest ground sloths appeared, the Megatheriidae with several species represented. The largest ground sloth to have ever lived in North America is a member of this last group and is known as Eremotherium. The male Eremotheriums grew to an estimated THREE TONS. Giant ground sloths in North America went extinct at the end of the Pleistocene. This is not only a highly attractive specimen but also of great scientific and historical value as this is the first Mylodontid sloth in the fossil record of North America and one of only two types of the earliest sloths in this continent. Perfect with uncommon light color as opposed to typically much darker river sloth fossil remains from the tannins in the water. FIRST SUCH SPECIMEN WE HAVE EVER SEEN FOR SALE - ULTRA RARE, COMPLETE AND PERFECT! PERFECT PRESERVATION LIKE PORCELAIN!!! 9.25" in length $795 LM3-006 Actual Item - One Only |
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