Perfectly preserved caudal vertebra section of a truly mythical creature: the giant ground sloth. This sloth, a Glossotherium, is an extinct large ground sloth of the subfamily Mylodontinae. Reconstructed animals were between 3 and 4 metres long and possibly weighed up to 1,500 kg. The tail of the Glossotherium was covered with dermal scutes or osteoderms. Rarely these are preserved during fossilisation. This here is a museum quality section of 2 caudal vertebra entirely covered with osteoderms.

Glossotherium sp.

Pleistocene (2.0 - 0.7 mil y.)

Uruguay

90 mm - 3.6" (length)

Museum quality