A fantastic Christmas present

[Shellseeker]

Sharing the joy.

I went hunting with friends on the Peace River today. It has been a while since the last time and we decided to check out a location that had significant fossils 10 years ago and was remote.

 

We were prospecting... stopping frequently to probe for rock,  I had found a small calcaneum,  a couple of tapir caps, and then we moved on to the site none of us had hunted in 10 years. In my 1st sieve, it is 79 mm long.

 

Over the last 10 years I have found a lot of Sloth fossils, most commonly Megalonyx jeffersoni, Paramylodon harlani, and once Megalonyx leptostomus. 

Is it possible to identify the Sloth species based on a single claw.  It might be , because so many sloth claws are sold where the species is identified.   Thanks for the help...

[Brandy Cole]

Wow! Great find!

 

[Shellseeker]

3 minutes ago, Brandy Cole said:

Wow! Great find!

True...too true. I have been insanely fortunate to have found now a total of 6 Sloth Claws. They are very rare and relatively expensive to purchase.  Thanks.

[Pagurus]

That's a present Santa Claws would be proud to deliver. Congratulations.

[Family Fun]

Love your posts and all of the great things you find in the river.  That is a super nice find!!!

[RJB]

  Congratulations Jack.  Nothing like finding a fossil that makes one all giddy inside. 

 

RB

[PODIGGER]

Great find Jack, Congratulations!

[Shellseeker]

45 minutes ago, RJB said:

  Congratulations Jack.  Nothing like finding a fossil that makes one all giddy inside. 

 

RB

Thanks to all who responded.

Ron, you captured the essence on why I love our hobby.  I imagine you have experienced that giddy feeling yourself.  It is less than 24 hours since I took that 1st photo above. I can re_experience those seconds of elation, tingling in my core that finding such a fossil provides.

It keeps me going out there.. this was a 2.5 mile kayak ride down and then back up against the current. I am paying the piper today. I would do it again tomorrow, just on the slight chance I could get that giddy feeling back for a couple of seconds.

[Bone Daddy]

11 hours ago, Shellseeker said:

True...too true. I have been insanely fortunate to have found now a total of 6 Sloth Claws. They are very rare and relatively expensive to purchase.  Thanks.

 

You can make an Edward Sloth-Hands, Freddy Krueger, or Wolverine glove made of sloth claws now. 

 

[jcbshark]

Absolute stunner Jack Merry Christmas to you!!!

[digit]

(speechless)

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[facehugger]

Sweet!!! Congrats!!!

[FossilDAWG]

Fantastic find , but it seems you had to work pretty hard for it so you're no sloth .  Congratulations! 

 

Don

[Shellseeker]

I usually send requests to Richard Hulbert along with postings on TFF.  His response on the likely sloth species for this claw.

Quote

The new specimen looks more like one of the smaller claws from Paramylodon harlani and less like those of the Megalonyx species. But to know for sure would require taking measurements for each of the claws on both the front and hind feet from all possible species, as they varying in shape and size between digits 1 to 5 and between front and hind. Plus normal individual variation and sexual dimorphism.

This is the kind of research I plan to do after my retirement as part of my “grand scheme” of describing and reviewing all Pleistocene mammals of Florida. But right now is not one of the things I can just look at and identify with certainty.  Richard

"Richard" is Dr. Richard C. Hulbert Jr. Vertebrate Paleontology Collections Manager Florida Museum of Natural History Dickinson Hall, Rm. 206 1659 Museum Road Gainesville, Florida

@Shellseeker is going to seem a LOT less knowledgeable without Richard's support and direct access to the Collections including (in this instance)  many complete sets of sloth claws from Florida sloth species.

So,

High probability this claw  is from Paramylodon harlani. Viewed from above, this claw leans from left to right,  implying a left hand or foot.

 

To all,  Thank you for the kind words.  I have no fossil hunting trips planned, traveling to Connecticut for a week, returning next Tuesday... We'll, there is December 23rd

[garyc]

Beautiful claw, Jack!! I too have been blessed with six claws. Unfortunately, 3 are broken

[fifbrindacier]

[sixgill pete]

Fantastic Jack. St. Nick was looking out for you!