New evidence for Late Pleistocene human exploitation of Jefferson's Ground Sloth (<i>Megalonyx jeffersonii</i>) from northern Ohio, USA

Abstract Abstract The nature and extent of early human exploitation of late Pleistocene mega-mammals of North America have been vigorously debated; however, direct evidence of predation has been established for a small number of taxa. Until now, evidence of butchering and human utilization of ground sloths has been limited to South America. Osteological and taphonomic analyses of one curated collection of Jefferson's Ground Sloth (Megalonyx jeffersonii) from northern Ohio, USA, have identified possible butchering marks on one femur. Historical research determined that the skeletal remains were originally recovered from a bog prior to 1915. Metric assessment of the ten skeletal elements identified this sloth as one of the largest individuals on record. SEM analysis of the left femur documented forty-one stone-tool marks, and their pattern and location indicate the filleting of leg muscles. XAD-purified bone collagen from the femur returned an AMS 14C radiocarbon age of 11,740±35 bp (13,738 to 13,435 cal. bp), which is as much as 700 years older than the calculated maximum age for Clovis. Although diminished somewhat by the lack of primary provenience data, these results offer significant evidence for late Pleistocene human exploitation of this North American taxon. Keywords: PleistoceneMegalonyxPre-clovisPaleoindiancutmarksOhioslothFirelands Acknowledgements The authors are grateful to the following individuals and institutions: the Firelands Historical Society and Barbara Czerwony, the Ohio Archaeological Council, Tom Stafford and Stafford Research Laboratories, Inc., Leslie Bush and Macrobotanical Analysis, Steve Holen and the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, the University of Manitoba and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Darin Croft of Case Western Reserve University, Barb Annon of Norwich Township, Tina Jongsma Greenfield and current and former CMNH staff: Jim Bowers, Joe Keiper, David Saja, Ann DuFresne, Michael Ryan, David Kriska, Garrett Ormiston and Greg Petusky.