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Glite Dictionary
mylodontid

mylodontid

9.9
A large extinct mammal like a ground sloth that lived in the Americas
  • noun
  • /ˌmaɪloʊˈdɪntɪd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : mylodontido
  • Scientists believe the mylodontid adapted to a variety of habitats during the Ice Age.

Examples

  • The mylodontid fossils were discovered in South America.

  • A large mylodontid skeleton is displayed at the natural history museum.

  • The fossilized remains of a mylodontid were discovered in the Patagonian caves.

  • Scientists studied the mylodontid remains found in Patagonia.

  • The remains of a mylodontid were discovered in an ancient cave, providing insights into prehistoric life in the Americas.

  • Scientists studied a mylodontid to better understand the evolution of edentate mammals.

  • Fossilized bones of a mylodontid were found alongside those of other extinct species from millions of years ago.

Synonyms

ground sloth
vsmylodontid
  • US
1 9.6

A very large extinct mammal with long claws that lived on land in the Americas long ago

is a specific family within that broader group known from fossil records
Mylodon
vsmylodontid
  • Specialized
9.9

A very large sloth that lived on the ground long ago and is now extinct

is broader, covering the whole family rather than one genus

Surface Forms

mylodontid singular
mylodontids plural

Morphology

mylodontid = Mylodontidae (opaque) = mylodont + id

The form is a specialist taxonomic formation (member of the family Mylodontidae using '-id'), which is not analyzable by average learners from common vocabulary.

Etymology

The word mylodontid comes from the scientific name Mylodon, which uses Greek parts myl- 'mill' and odont- 'tooth' because the animal had wide grinding teeth. So, a mylodontid is an extinct mammal, like a ground sloth, named for those strong teeth seen in fossils.