Proplatyarthrus
Encyclopedia
Proplatyarthrus is an extinct genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 of actively mobile ground sloth
Ground sloth
Ground sloths are a diverse group of extinct sloths, in the mammalian superorder Xenarthra. Their most recent survivors lived in the Antilles, where it has been proposed they may have survived until 1550 CE; however, the youngest AMS radiocarbon date reported is 4190 BP, calibrated to c. 4700 BP...

 of the family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...

 Mylodontidae
Mylodontidae
Mylodontidae is a family of extinct mammals within the order of Pilosa and suborder Folivora living from approximately 23 mya—11,000 years ago, existing for approximately . This family of ground sloths is related to the other families of extinct ground sloths, being the Megatheriidae, the...

, endemic to South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...

.

Taxonomy

Proplatyarthrus was named by Ameghino (1905). It was assigned to Megalonychidae by Carroll (1988.

Sister genera

Acratocnus
Acratocnus
Acratocnus is an extinct genus of ground sloth found in Cuba, Hispaniola and Puerto Rico.-Classification:Like all of the Antillean sloths, Acratocnus is a member of the family Megalonychidae, whose sole surviving genus is Choloepus, representing the two-toed tree sloths.-Location:The species of...

, Ahytherium (syn. Iporangabradyx, Iporangabradyx collecti), Analcimorphus, Choloepus, Diheterocnus, Hyperleptus, Megalocnus
Megalocnus
The ground sloths of the extinct genus Megalocnus were among the largest of the Caribbean ground sloths, with individuals estimated to have weighed up to when alive. Two species are known, M. rodens of Cuba, and M. zile of Hispaniola. Subfossils of M...

, Megalonychops, Megalonychotherium, Megalonyx
Megalonyx
Megalonyx is an extinct genus of giant ground sloths of the family Megalonychidae endemic to North America from the Hemphillian of the Late Miocene through to the Rancholabrean of the Pleistocene, living from ~10.3 Mya—11,000 years ago, existing for approximately .-Taxonomy:The generic name...

(syn. Morotherium), Meizonyx, Mesocnus, Microcnus, Miocnus
Miocnus
Miocnus is an extinct genus of giant ground sloths of the family Megalonychidae endemic to Cuba during the Pleistocene epoch through very early Pliocene epoch, living from 1.8 Mya—11,000 years ago, existing for approximately .-Taxonomy:...

, Nothropus
Nothropus
Nothropus is an extinct genus of actively mobile ground sloth of the family Megatheriidae, endemic to South America during the Pleistocene epoch. It lived from 1.8 mya—78,000 years ago existing for approximately .-Taxonomy:...

, Pliometanastes
Pliometanastes
Pliometanastes is an extinct genus of giant ground sloths of the family Megalonychidae endemic to North America during the Miocene epoch through very early Pliocene epoch. Its fossils have been found across the southern U. S. from California to Florida....

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