Youngest radiocarbon age for Jefferson's ground sloth, Megalonyx jeffersonii (Xenarthra, Megalonychidae)

H. Gregory McDonald; Thomas Stafford jr.; Dale M. Gnidovec

doi:10.1016/j.yqres.2014.11.006

Youngest radiocarbon age for Jefferson's ground sloth, Megalonyx jeffersonii (Xenarthra, Megalonychidae)

H. Gregory McDonald^*, Thomas Stafford jr., Dale M. Gnidovec

^*Corresponding author for this work

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

A partial skeleton of the extinct ground sloth, Megalonyx jeffersonii, recovered from a farm near Millersburg, Ohio in 1890, was radiocarbon dated for the first time. The ungual dated is part of a skeleton mounted for exhibit at the Orton Geological Museum at Ohio State University and was the first mounted skeleton of this animal. From its initial discovery the bones were treated with multiple organic compounds that had the potential to compromise the radiocarbon age and the specimen required special treatments in order to obtain a valid radiocarbon age. The ¹⁴C measurement on the ungual from this skeleton (11,235±40¹⁴Cyr BP=13,180-13,034calyr BP) is the youngest ¹⁴C age presently determined for M. jeffersonii.

Original language	English
Journal	Quaternary Research
Volume	83
Issue number	2
Pages (from-to)	355-359
Number of pages	5
ISSN	0033-5894
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yqres.2014.11.006
Publication status	Published - 2015

Keywords

Historical specimens
Jefferson's ground sloth
Megalonyx
Ohio
Pleistocene
Radiocarbon age
XAD resin

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10.1016/j.yqres.2014.11.006

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title = "Youngest radiocarbon age for Jefferson's ground sloth, Megalonyx jeffersonii (Xenarthra, Megalonychidae)",

abstract = "A partial skeleton of the extinct ground sloth, Megalonyx jeffersonii, recovered from a farm near Millersburg, Ohio in 1890, was radiocarbon dated for the first time. The ungual dated is part of a skeleton mounted for exhibit at the Orton Geological Museum at Ohio State University and was the first mounted skeleton of this animal. From its initial discovery the bones were treated with multiple organic compounds that had the potential to compromise the radiocarbon age and the specimen required special treatments in order to obtain a valid radiocarbon age. The 14C measurement on the ungual from this skeleton (11,235±4014Cyr BP=13,180-13,034calyr BP) is the youngest 14C age presently determined for M. jeffersonii.",

keywords = "Historical specimens, Jefferson's ground sloth, Megalonyx, Ohio, Pleistocene, Radiocarbon age, XAD resin",

author = "{Gregory McDonald}, H. and {Stafford jr.}, Thomas and Gnidovec, {Dale M.}",

year = "2015",

doi = "10.1016/j.yqres.2014.11.006",

language = "English",

volume = "83",

pages = "355--359",

journal = "Quaternary Research",

issn = "0033-5894",

publisher = "Academic Press",

number = "2",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Youngest radiocarbon age for Jefferson's ground sloth, Megalonyx jeffersonii (Xenarthra, Megalonychidae)

AU - Gregory McDonald, H.

AU - Stafford jr., Thomas

AU - Gnidovec, Dale M.

PY - 2015

Y1 - 2015

N2 - A partial skeleton of the extinct ground sloth, Megalonyx jeffersonii, recovered from a farm near Millersburg, Ohio in 1890, was radiocarbon dated for the first time. The ungual dated is part of a skeleton mounted for exhibit at the Orton Geological Museum at Ohio State University and was the first mounted skeleton of this animal. From its initial discovery the bones were treated with multiple organic compounds that had the potential to compromise the radiocarbon age and the specimen required special treatments in order to obtain a valid radiocarbon age. The 14C measurement on the ungual from this skeleton (11,235±4014Cyr BP=13,180-13,034calyr BP) is the youngest 14C age presently determined for M. jeffersonii.

AB - A partial skeleton of the extinct ground sloth, Megalonyx jeffersonii, recovered from a farm near Millersburg, Ohio in 1890, was radiocarbon dated for the first time. The ungual dated is part of a skeleton mounted for exhibit at the Orton Geological Museum at Ohio State University and was the first mounted skeleton of this animal. From its initial discovery the bones were treated with multiple organic compounds that had the potential to compromise the radiocarbon age and the specimen required special treatments in order to obtain a valid radiocarbon age. The 14C measurement on the ungual from this skeleton (11,235±4014Cyr BP=13,180-13,034calyr BP) is the youngest 14C age presently determined for M. jeffersonii.

KW - Historical specimens

KW - Jefferson's ground sloth

KW - Megalonyx

KW - Ohio

KW - Pleistocene

KW - Radiocarbon age

KW - XAD resin

U2 - 10.1016/j.yqres.2014.11.006

DO - 10.1016/j.yqres.2014.11.006

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:84925152477

SN - 0033-5894

VL - 83

SP - 355

EP - 359

JO - Quaternary Research

JF - Quaternary Research

IS - 2

ER -

Youngest radiocarbon age for Jefferson's ground sloth, Megalonyx jeffersonii (Xenarthra, Megalonychidae)

Abstract

Keywords

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