megatherium

Scientific  

/ mĕg′ə-thîr′ē-əm /

plural

megatheriums

1. A large, extinct ground sloth of the genus Megatherium that lived from the Miocene through the Pleistocene Epochs, primarily in South America. It was as large as an elephant, had long curved claws and teeth only in the sides of its jaws, and ate plants. The megatherium was more closely related to the modern two-toed sloth than to the three-toed sloth.

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Example Sentences

Though the creature had already been described by science, researchers lacked significant specimens to inspect until Darwin happened upon a Megatherium skull.

From Salon

Martinelli himself was inspired to become a paleontologist after growing up as a young boy near the Luján River, where Megatherium remains had been discovered.

From Salon

Upstairs, walking through an exhibit dealing with ancient megafauna, I was non-plussed by the sheer scale of a Megatherium skeleton — indeed, the creature weighed up to four tons and grew to the size of an elephant while consuming vast quantities of vegetation daily.

From Salon

As with Glossotherium, it’s unclear what caused Megatherium’s demise 12,000 years ago, though some believe climate and hunting played a role.

From Salon

Megatherium is related to present-day sloths, which face climate and environmental pressures.

From Salon