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Sloths have changed a lot over the past ten thousand years. The sluggish, sleepy leaf beetle we see hanging from tree branches today is a long way from the sloths of the past. Today, these animals are small and live mainly in Central and South America.
Ten to twenty thousand years ago, Milodon, a huge land sloth, ruled America. Previously, researchers believed that this land sloth survives entirely on plants, just like modern sloths. However, new research from the American Museum of Natural History shows that this may not be the case.
Milodon
Although now extinct, Milodon is one of the craziest animals in history. These sloths, which were estimated to weigh between 2,000 and 4,000 pounds and grow nearly ten feet in height, looked and behaved very differently from their future descendants.
“Milodon” roamed America. Researchers found their remains in the north, as far as Alaska. Some of these remains indicate even larger varieties of mylodons. One skeleton was the size of an elephant!
Based on previous studies of milodon’s dental characteristics, surviving excrement, jaw biomechanics, and the diet and activity of today’s sloths, the researchers hypothesized that milodon was also herbivorous. However, with new research tactics, the researchers were able to analyze biochemical compounds in keratinized body tissues such as hair and nails to determine the diet of Milodon and other extinct sloths.
conclusions
The researchers used the preserved keratin tissues of seven extinct species of sloths and anteaters, as well as some living species with known diets, to compare biochemical composition, in particular nitrogen isotopes, and determine the composition of the diet of animals.
By looking at the amino acid nitrogen content of these chemicals, researchers can compare the diet of modern sloths to those of their extinct ancestors. This comparison may show abnormalities or other chemicals in body tissues that are consistent with predatory eating behavior. They can also determine the diet of animals at the trophic level, which means they can see if species were exclusively herbivores, mixed omnivores, exclusively meat-eating carnivores, or eaters of fish and marine animals. This research is important because of its impact on our understanding of historical ecosystems.
Comparing extinct species of sloths with living ones, the researchers found inconsistencies that suggested that Milodon was not actually herbivore, as they previously thought. The study clearly classified Mylodon as an omnivore, meaning this extinct sloth had a combined diet of plants and other animals.
Influence
With the discovery of new information about the Milodon diet, researchers may begin to rethink the current ecological understanding of the South American ecosystem ten thousand years ago. It is now known that South America could not support the number of alleged herbivores that existed solely on a plant-based diet. Determining that one of the main players in the system, Milodon, was not a herbivore opens the door for additional research into the diets of other known species in the region.
This study also raises questions about evolution and how milodons eventually evolved into modern plant-only sloths. By continuing to research these ancient diets and collect more data on the chemical composition of extinct South American species, researchers will eventually be able to form a clearer picture of the region’s past and its evolution to today’s conditions.
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