Award Date

1-1-2002

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Geoscience

First Committee Member

Stephen M. Rowland

Number of Pages

108

Abstract

The remains of the Devil Peak Shasta Ground Sloth ( Nothrotheriops shastensis) is one of the most complete fossils of this species ever discovered. The study's objective is to use the dimensions of the Devil Peak sloth and Aden Crater sloth (the only other complete skeleton of this species known) to characterize the morphology of Nothrotheriops shastensis. Radiocarbon ages obtained from eggshells located with the Devil Peak sloth indicate it is approximately 32,000 years old; I measured various dimensions of both humeri, one radius, both ulnae, the pelvis, both patellae, and one tibia Most bones of the Devil Peak skeleton are smaller than those of La Brea specimens with which it was compared, but equal in size to the Aden Crater sloth. However, the Devil Peak sloth pelvis is much larger than the pelvis of the Aden Crater specimen. I conclude the Devil Peak sloth was probably a female adult sloth.

Keywords

Analysis; Comparative; Devil; Ground; Morphometric; Nevada; Nothrotheriops; Peak; Shasta; Shastensis; Sloth

Controlled Subject

Paleontology; Paleontology

File Format

pdf

File Size

3696.64 KB

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

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