Megalonyx jeffersoni, ground sloth skull, Now The West Virginia State Fossil Compsognathus Its fossil remains have been

Its fossil remains have been found in the Morrison Formation of Colorado and Utah

excluding the male's tusk

The original replica was stored at the University of Rochester New York until the early 1900's when it was sold along with the majority of other fossil replicas from his catalog to the Field Museum of Chicago Illinois and was stored there for at least 100 years

and a cultural increase in environmental concerns

led to the excellent preservation of complete skeletons

Megalonyx jeffersoni, ground sloth skull, Now The West Virginia State Fossil Compsognathus Its fossil remains have beenPresident, Thomas Jefferson, scientifically described fossil bones given to him by saltpeter miners found in a Monroe County cave in 1797. Jefferson thought they were the claws of a giant cat. In 1799 Casper Wistar re described the bones as a new species of extinct giant ground sloth and named it in honor of President Jefferson. Only recently have the bones been Carbon 14 dated at over 38,000 year old. On March 8, 2008 Megalonyx jeffersoni became the