Octodontotherium fossil map
Where fossils of Octodontotherium have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 30 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 30 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 | 29–21 million years ago (Rupelian to Aquitanian) |
| Periods | Paleogene, Neogene |
| Family | Mylodontidae |
| Named by | Ameghino 1894 |
| Fossil records | 8 occurrences at 4 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Argentina, Bolivia |
| Rock formations | Deseado, txn:43629, Sarmiento, Agua de la Piedra |
About Octodontotherium
Octodontotherium (meaning "eight toothed beast") is an extinct genus of ground sloth of the family Mylodontidae, endemic to South America during the Late Oligocene (Deseadan). It lived from 29 to 23 Mya, existing for approximately 6 million years.
Fossil distribution is exclusive to Santa Cruz Province, Argentina (Deseado and Sarmiento Formations) and Bolivia (Salla Formation).
It was a large herbivore that fed on various types of plants.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Octodontotherium (revision 1354846766), 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: Q7077015.
