Thalassocnus on The Loom

Posted by PZ Myers on June 21, 2004 05:38 PM

An aquatic sloth?


Skull of Thalassocnus yaucensis, sp. nov., holotype, MUSM 37 in lateral (A), ventral (B), dorsal (C), views; mandible in lateral left (D) and dorsal (E) views.

Carl Zimmer has the details. This is very cool—yet another series of transitional fossils, showing a set of Peruvian sloths, of all things, that adapted to an aquatic lifestyle over the course of several million years.

Trackback URL: http://www.pandasthumb.org/cgi-bin/mt/mt-tb.cgi/287

Comment #4049

Posted by Reed A. Cartwright on June 22, 2004 12:47 AM (e) (s)

PZ,

What paper is that figure from?

Comment #4054

Posted by PZ Myers on June 22, 2004 08:03 AM (e) (s)

That figure is from:

De Muizon C, McDonald G, Salas R, Urbina M (2004) The youngest species of the aquatic sloth <i>Thalassocnus</i> and a reassessment of the relationships of the nothrothere sloths (Mammalia: Xenartha). J Vert Paleo 24(2)387-397.

Comment #4063

Posted by T. Russ on June 22, 2004 10:19 AM (e) (s)

Are there any disputes or disagreements about this fossil in the literature? Do all paleontologist consider this fella to be clearly transitional?

Comment #4124

Posted by T. Russ on June 23, 2004 11:08 AM (e) (s)

Hello?

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Trackback: Taking the Plunge

Posted by The Loom on June 21, 2004 06:18 PM

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