Evidence of spondylosis deformans in an adult individual of the extinct Scelidotheriid sloth Catonyx cuvieri (Lund, 1839) from the Late Pleistocene of the Brazilian Intertropical Region

Abstract

Extinct sloths constituted a significant component of the faunal assemblage inhabiting the South American continent during the Pleistocene, with extensively distributed fossil records across the continent. The Scelidotheriid Catonyx cuvieri is commonly found in tanks and caves in Brazil. Paleoecological (chronology, diet, habitat) and paleopathological (articular and vertebral lesions) studies of extinct sloths have expanded, providing insights into previously undescribed features. We describe a spondylosis deformans (non-inflammatory condition characterized by the development of bony projections) in the sacral vertebra of Catonyx cuvieri, recovered from a cave in Bahia, based on macroscopic anatomical characteristics. The observed lesion indicated a grade 2 enthesophyte resulting from abnormal bone formation in the vertebral body related to aging.