Hapaloides is an extinct genus of ground sloth of the family Megalonychidae, endemic to Argentina during the Early Miocene. It lived from 21.0 mya to 17.5 mya, existing (as a genus) for approximately 3.5 million years.[1]

Hapaloides
Temporal range: Early Miocene (Colhuehuapian)
~21.0–17.5 Ma
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Pilosa
Family: Megalonychidae
Subfamily: Ortotheriinae
Genus: Hapaloides
Ameghino, 1902
Type species
Hapaloides ignavus
Ameghino, 1902
Other species
  • H. laevisculus Ameghino, 1902
  • H. ponderosus Ameghino, 1902

Found in the Colhuehuapian-aged Colpodon Beds of Argentina, three species are known: H. ignavus (the type species), H. laevisculus and H. ponderosus, all named by Florentino Ameghino in 1902.[2] H. ignavus is known from a partial cranium that is smaller than that of Hapalops rectangularis, which it was compared to.[2]

Ameghino in 1902 placed Hapaloides in the Megatheriidae,[2] alongside Proschismotherium, which was its sister taxon,[3][4] while more recent taxonomic reviews place Hapaloides within Megalonychidae.[1][5]

References

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  1. ^ a b R. L. Carroll. (1988). Vertebrate Paleontology and Evolution 1–698
  2. ^ a b c Ameghino, Florentino (1902). "Première contribution a la connaissance de la faune mammalogique des couches a Colpodon [First contribution to the knowledge of the mammalian fauna of the Colpodon Beds]". Boletin de la Academia Nacional de Ciencias en Córdoba, República Argentina. 17: 71–141 [131–133].
  3. ^ "Hapaloides". Fossilworks. Archived from the original on 17 August 2022. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  4. ^ "Proschismotherium". Fossilworks. Archived from the original on 26 September 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  5. ^ McKenna & Bell (1997) Classification of Mammals Above the Species Level