Megalocnus fossil map
Where fossils of Megalocnus have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 0 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 0 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Early mammals |
|---|---|
| Lived | 2.58 million years ago to the present (Gelasian to Holocene) |
| Periods | Quaternary |
| Family | Megalonychidae |
| Named by | Leidy 1868 |
| Fossil records | 6 occurrences at 3 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Cuba |
| Rock formations | txn:43596 |
About Megalocnus
Megalocnus ("great sloth" in Greek) is a genus of extinct ground sloths that were native to Cuba during the Pleistocene and Holocene epochs. They were among the largest of the Caribbean sloths (Megalocnidae), with individuals estimated to have weighed up to 270 kg (595 lbs) to 200 kg (440 lbs), around the size of a black bear when alive. Its relatives include other megalocnid sloths, such as Acratocnus, Mesocnus, Miocnus, Neocnus and Parocnus. The former species M. zile from Hispaniola is currently thought to be a junior synonym of Parocnus serus.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Megalocnus (revision 1380840791), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q141383.
