Biology:Promegatherium

Short description: An extinct genus of mammals related to sloths, anteaters, and armadillos

Promegatherium Temporal range: Late Miocene (Huayquerian) ~9.0–6.8 Ma PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Promegatherium nanum and Nesodon
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Pilosa
Superfamily:	Megatherioidea
Clade:	†Megatheria
Family:	†Megatheriidae
Subfamily:	†Megatheriinae
Genus:	†Promegatherium Ameghino, 1883
Species
†P. cabreri †P. parvulum †P. remulsum †P. smaltatus

Promegatherium ("before Megatherium") is a genus of prehistoric xenarthrans that lived in Argentina , during the Late Miocene. This genus is regarded as closely related to the later, and more famous genus, Megatherium, hence the reference in the name. The first specimens of Promegatherium were originally described by the biologist Florentino Ameghino in 1883.

Fossils of Promegatherium have been found in the Ituzaingó Formation in Argentina.

Further reading

• Family tree of Megatheriidae
• M. C. McKenna & S. K. Bell (eds.) (1997): Classification of mammals, above the species level. New York: Columbia University Press.

Wikidata ☰ Q7249693 entry