Megalonyx
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This might be the only species ever named by a U.S. President. In 1796, Thomas Jefferson received a box with some fossil bones. He proposed the bones belonged to a giant lion, which he named Megalonyx. He also thought it might still be alive, and asked Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to look out for it on their expedition. Obviously they didn't find any, and the bones turned out to belong to a giant sloth. Megalonyx, also known as Jefferson's ground sloth, is large and heavily built. Its snout is blunt and has large peglike teeth. Its arms are large, and its claws are large and heavy. The legs and tail are short and stout. It is covered with shaggy fur. Megalonyx is an herbivore, specializing in taller plants. It often rears up onto its hindlimbs to grab higher tree branches. Adults of this species may have protected their young, even at different generations. Megalonyx probably occupied a variety of habitats in Pleistocene North America, but prefers forests. Our Jefferson's ground sloths live in Pleistocene Plains. |
Scientific name Location Time Length Weight Diet |