An extinct genus of large ground sloths from South America with characteristically curved or hooked claws, living during the Pleistocene epoch.
From Greek gryps meaning 'hooked' plus therion meaning 'beast'; literally 'the hooked beast,' named for its distinctive curved claws used for pulling down branches and digging.
Grypotherium was basically a furry, ground-dwelling cousin to tree sloths that could grow to elephant size—its hooked claws were perfect for ripping down trees in ancient South American forests thousands of years ago.
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