Revealing bone diseases in the Quaternary ground sloth Eremotherium laurillardi (Mammalia, Xenarthra)

We performed a macroscopic and radiological inspection in a set of bones belonging to the fossil mammal assemblage of Zabele Paleontological Site (Late Pleistocene-Northgrippian), in northeastern Brazil. Radiological analyzes were carried out using conventional X-ray and X-ray microtomography (mu CT) equipment. This study revealed four different types of diseases (calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease - CPPD, infection, trauma and tendon avulsion) restricted to the giant ground sloth E. laurillardi (5.36% of MNI) and in an indeterminate mammal species. The apparent restriction to E. laurillardi is related to taphonomic/palaeoecological bias. The data expand the number of occurrences of diseases in xenarthras species.

Automated summary

A study conducted on a fossil mammal assemblage in northeastern Brazil identified four different types of diseases, primarily found in a giant ground sloth and an indeterminate mammal species, expanding the understanding of disease occurrences in xenarthras species.