Neocnus is an extinct genus of megalocnid sloth, whose species ranged across Cuba and Hispaniola (today split between Haiti and the Dominican Republic). Neocnus was small, with a longe tail and a broad trunk, as well as lissome limbs and long claws. This sloth was known for having caudal vertebrae that were broad, a trait shared with other sloths, indicating that this animal, like the tamandua of today, likely used its tail to stand upright. The caniniform teeth of the Neocnus were large and triangular, and its skull was deep and had a large, sagittal crest which, when used with the deep mandible likely allowed strong exertion by the masticatory muscles.
The fossils of this sloth were found in Haitian cave deposits. They have been dated to as recently as 4391 BP, calibrated to c. 5000 BP.[1] It is theorized that this sloth, in common with other Antillean sloths, was most likely hunted to extinction by the indigenous peoples of the Caribbean for its pelt and meat. Neocnus is suspected of having been semi-arboreal.[2]
^Steadman, D. W.; Martin, P. S.; MacPhee, R. D. E.; Jull, A. J. T.; McDonald, H. G.; Woods, C. A.; Iturralde-Vinent, M.; Hodgins, G. W. L. (2005-08-16). "Asynchronous extinction of late Quaternary sloths on continents and islands". Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 102 (33). National Academy of Sciences: 11763–11768. Bibcode:2005PNAS..10211763S. doi:10.1073/pnas.0502777102. PMC 1187974. PMID 16085711.
^White, J. (1993). "Indicators of locomotor habits in Xenarthrans: Evidence for locomotor heterogeneity among fossil sloths". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 13 (2): 230–242. Bibcode:1993JVPal..13..230W. doi:10.1080/02724634.1993.10011502.
Neocnus is an extinct genus of megalocnid sloth, whose species ranged across Cuba and Hispaniola (today split between Haiti and the Dominican Republic)...
being terrestrial and probably weighing several hundred kilograms, while Neocnus was likely arboreal and similar in weight to extant tree sloths, at less...
present. Neocnus dousman, a medium-sized Neocnus found throughout Hispaniola. A single radiocarbon-dated specimen is about 10,000 years old. Neocnus toupiti...
include other megalocnid sloths, such as Acratocnus, Mesocnus, Miocnus, Neocnus and Parocnus. The former species M. zile from Hispaniola is currently thought...
does not conform to genetic studies, as it includes the Caribbean sloths Neocnus, Parocnus Megalocnus and Arcatocnus which have been placed in the separate...
Extinct (Early Miocene) Megalocnus M. rodens M. zile Cuba and Hispaniola Extinct (c. 2700 BC) NeocnusNeocnus spp. Cuba and Hispaniola Extinct (c. 3000 BC)...
relatives of modern two-toed sloths endemic to Cuba, Imagocnus also of Cuba, Neocnus and many others. The arrival of the first human settlers in the Azores...
reported for any of the Antillean sloths is c. 5000 BP, for the Hispaniolan Neocnus comes, based on AMS radiocarbon dating. The cause(s) of their extinctions...
hypnogeos Toronto, Canada 9610-9220 BC Haiti pine forest ground sloth Neocnus dousman Hispaniola 9580-8860 BC Dwarf pronghorn Capromeryx minor Southwestern...
based on skeletal features, also Caribbean sloths such as Megalocnus or Neocnus). Currently, however, it is not possible to determine direct ancestors...
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