Thalassocnus - Swimming Sloth

SKU
C931
Out of stock
$575.00
Overview

An ultra rare, Thalassocnus, a Swimming Sloth, manus (hand) claw from the Bahia Inglesia Formation, Copiapo, Chile. A May Fossil of the Month. This sloth lived on the west coast of So. America during the late Miocene age. This claw is a near complete with minor erosion along the upper edge and back end. Both areas have minor restoration. Fantastic color and preservation. Authenticity guaranteed. I have not seen a swimming sloth claw for sale before. This is all of the sloth material that I have from 15 years ago! A rare collector's claw. This is my one and only hand claw!

C931          Size: 2-1/2"  (1-1/8" height, 7/16" wide)

Thalassocnus is an extinct semiaquatic ground sloth that lived along the Pacific South American coast during the Miocene and Pliocene. Thalassocnus evolved several marine adaptations including dense and heavy bones to counteract buoyancy, the nostrils placed farther into the head to assist with breathing, the snout became wider and elongated to graze on aquatic plants, and the head angles downwards to aid in feeding. The long tail the assisted with diving and balance similarly to a modern day beaver.