Talk:Megatherium

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Sloth to Human Size Comparison

I don't know all that's involved in adding pictures/drawings to articles but it would be cool if such was added to the article showing a human being next to a sloth skeleton. I did a search on google but I'm not sure which ones are scientifically accuracte. Thank you. Bill the Cat 7 (talk) 14:02, 26 February 2023 (UTC)[reply]

hi bill,

added this photo to the archeological site, but this may be an eyewitness image with humans for scale from the Serranía_de_la_Lindosa archeological site. thumb|Prehistoric animal rock art in Serranía de la Lindosa , cerro azul, guaviare, colombia Erik.roger.fuller (talk) 06:28, 3 March 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Megatherium is not known from anywhere near Colombia. These interpretations have also been contested, see [1]. Hemiauchenia (talk) 06:46, 3 March 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Why is the skeleton so massive

Looking photograph from the Natural History Museum, that skeleton is so enormously robust, all the bonus look 'overengineered' and the hind leg bones are incredibly thick and chunky. Has this been noted before, and has any explanation been proposed? 78.146.93.213 (talk) 20:16, 8 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Megatherium was probably able rear up onto its hind legs to reach higher vegetation, which goes a way to explain the robustness of the hindlimbs given that its massive size Hemiauchenia (talk) 21:55, 8 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Response appreciated but I'm not sure it's the right answer. Humans spend most of their time rearing up on their hind legs yet our leg bones are nowhere near as colossal (in proportion). Look at an elephants hind leg bones (<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Elephant_skeleton.jpg>) they are comparatively weedy. The sheer mass of those hind leg bones is incredible. 78.146.93.213 (talk) 21:18, 20 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]

From what I remember 70% of the body weight of ground sloths was borne on the hindlimbs. Also humans are much physically less massive than Megatherium, which explains why their limb bones are much less robust. Hemiauchenia (talk) 21:51, 20 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]

I'm not sure it's the right question: the bones are large and look massive to us, the structural need and Megatherium#Ecology are hard to tell. One source is cited for the statement that Species of Megatherium likely relied on their large adult body size to protect themselves against predators. Wikipedia looks to reliable sources. . . dave souza, talk 00:19, 21 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]