Promegatherium fossil map
Where fossils of Promegatherium have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 5 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 5 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 | 8–5 million years ago (Tortonian to Zanclean) |
| Periods | Neogene |
| Family | Megatheriidae |
| Named by | Ameghino 1883 |
| Fossil records | 4 occurrences at 1 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Argentina |
| Rock formations | Ituzaingo |
About Promegatherium
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.
Promegatherium was first described by Argentine paleontologist Florentino Ameghino in 1883 on the basis of an isolated molariform. In 1886, he named another species, P. remulsum, on the basis of molariform fragments.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Promegatherium (revision 1366273312), 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: Q7249693.
