Mylodon fossil map
Where fossils of Mylodon 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 | 27.3 million years ago to the present (Chattian to Holocene) |
| Periods | Paleogene, Neogene, Quaternary |
| Family | Mylodontidae |
| Named by | Owen 1859 |
| Fossil records | 96 occurrences at 42 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Argentina, United States, Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil, Guatemala, Uruguay |
| Rock formations | txn:43629, Nuapua, La Invernada, Miramar, Santa VitĂłria, Blanco |
About Mylodon
Mylodon is an extinct genus of ground sloth belonging to the family Mylodontidae, known from southern South America. With a total length of 3 to 4 m and a body mass of 1-2 tonnes, it is one of the largest mylodontids, though it was considerably exceeded in size by the mylodontid Lestodon.
The oldest finds probably date to the Lower Pleistocene; however, most of the fossil remains date to the Late Pleistocene (spanning the Ensenadan and Lujanian faunal stages). Its distribution ranged from southern Bolivia and the Pampas in the north southwards to the southernmost part of Patagonia at around 52-53 degrees south, the furthest south of any Pleistocene ground sloth, with some of the best known remains of the species being from the eponymous Cueva del Milodon (cave of Mylodon) in southern Chile.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Mylodon (revision 1375709899), 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: Q310869.
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