Reassessing the phylogeny and divergence times of sloths (Mammalia: Pilosa: Folivora), exploring alternative morphological partitioning and dating models
Author
Casali, Daniel M
Author
Boscaini, Alberto
Author
Gaudin, Timothy J
Author
Perini, Fernando A
text
Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society
2022
2022-12-01
196
4
1505
1551
https://academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/article/196/4/1505/6617197
journal article
10.1093/zoolinnean/zlac041
0024-4082
7381236
Megatheriidae
PP = 100, age = 20.43 Mya (18.28–22.99).
This clade is composed of the genus
Analcimorphus
and the clades
Prepotheriinae
,
Nothrotheriinae
and
Megatheriinae
.
Megatheriidae
was recovered in all MP analyses and all BI analyses with H models, and was absent in all analyses with UN and A models, given the nested position of Mylodontoidea in this clade.
Analcimorphus
was consistently recovered as a stem member of this clade.
Megatheriidae
was supported by 12 synapomorphies (eight for both methods and four exclusively for BI): presence of fossa anterior to Cf1 (BI); snout length greater than its width, but no longer than two times the width; uniform nasal width in its posterior half, with lateral margins parallel (BI); premolariform portion of palate roughly equal or longer than molariform toothrow; absence of a crest at median suture of palatine (BI); absence of a marked postorbital constriction; well-developed ventral nuchal crest; carotid foramen fully covered in ventral view; entotympanic dorsal edge with a strong concave curvature in lateral view, and a dorsal projection at anterior end; entotympanic forming almost the entire floor of the tympanic cavity medial wall; nuchal and exoccipital crests parallel (BI); and lateral expansion of metatarsal V proximolaterally oriented.