Description

Glossotherium robustum, commonly known as the Robust Tongue Beast, was a substantial ground sloth native to South America during the Pliocene and Pleistocene epochs. Measuring about 4 meters in length and standing 1.6 meters tall at the shoulders, it weighed between 1,000 and 1,500 kilograms. Its broad, muscular build and powerful limbs suggest it was well-adapted to its environment. Unlike modern tree-dwelling sloths, Glossotherium was terrestrial. Its broad snout and unique dentition indicate a diet primarily consisting of grasses and other low-lying vegetation, classifying it as a grazer. Notably, Glossotherium possessed a large nasal cavity, which may have been used to produce infrasound for communication or mating calls. Its robust forelimbs and claws suggest it could have been capable of digging, possibly creating burrows for shelter, making it one of the largest known burrowing mammals.