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Fossil of pregnant ground sloth discovered with fetus inside

Found in a Brazilian cave, the remarkable specimen of a ground sloth fetus inside its mother offers a rare insight into the developmental biology of the extinct mammal

By Jeanne Timmons

14 July 2023

Reconstruction from fossils discovered in Brazil of a pregnant ground sloth and its fetus

Jorge Gonzalez

The remarkably rare discovery of a fossilised pregnant ground sloth and its fetus has been reported.

Cástor Cartelle at the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais in Brazil had been exploring an extensive Brazilian cave for 2 hours when he discovered the fossil sloth, from the species Nothrotherium maquinense.

While excavating this fossil, Cartelle says he was surprised when a small bone fell into his hands. “As I gained a better understanding of the orientation,…

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