Megatherium americanum

Megatherium lived in Argentina, Peru and Bolivia during the Pleistocene until it became extinct about 10,000 years ago. It is a giant sloth, notably characterised by the fact that its weight was mainly supported on the outer edges of its highly modified feet. For a long time, it was debated whether this fossil sloth was bipedal or quadrupedal, hence, since the 19th century, it has been represented in an intermediary pose, leaning against a tree. However, evidence such as footprints discovered in Argentina and analysis of its inner ear now seem to indicate that it probably walked on four legs and that it was not as slow-moving as its modern tree-dwelling cousins. Its teeth indicate that it had an herbivorous diet.

It is probable that the last representatives of this species crossed paths with human beings.

The skeleton of this gigantic xenarthran was mounted by Paul Gervais and Louis Sénéchal in 1873 using pieces found by François Seguin on the banks of the Rio Carcarañá, Santa Fé Province, Argentina. It was remounted in its current pose by Albert Gaudry in 1895 on the occasion of the opening of the Gallery of Palaeontology. The plaster pelvis was cast from the first Megatherium to arrive in Europe at the London College of Surgeons in the 1830s.

The other Xenathra in the herd, Glyptodon, Lestodon and Scelidotherium were also collected by Seguin, a French pastry chef living in Buenos Aires.

Seguin Collection