| Astegotherium Temporal range: Early-Late Eocene ~ | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Cingulata |
| Family: | Dasypodidae |
| Tribe: | † Astegotheriini |
| Genus: | † Astegotherium Ameghino, 1902 |
| Type species | |
| †Astegotherium dichotomus Ameghino, 1902 | |
Astegotherium is an extinct genus of xenarthran, belonging to the family Dasypodidae. It lived from the Early to the Middle Eocene, and its fossilized remains are found in Argentina.
This genus is only known from the dermal plates (osteoderms) that composed its dorsal armor. It was probably fairly similar with the modern nine-banded armadillo. Astegotherium was characterized by its osteoderms with a central figure almost devoid of foramina, while the posterior part of the osteoderms has hair foramina.
The type species, Astegotherium dichotomus, was first described in 1902 by Florentino Ameghino, based on fossil remains found in Argentina, dating to the Middle Eocene. Other fossils attributed to this genus were later discovered in Argentina, in terrains dating from the Early to the Middle-Late Eocene.
Astegotherium is one of the earliest armadillo known in the fossil records, and it is considered a member of the family Dasypodidae, which includes the modern nine-banded armadillo.
Dasypodidae is a family of mostly extinct genera of armadillos. One genus, Dasypus, is extant, with at least seven living species.
Glyptodonts are an extinct subfamily of large, heavily armoured armadillos. They arose in South America around 48 million years ago and spread to southern North America after the continents became connected around 2.7 million years ago. The best-known genus within the group is Glyptodon. They became extinct approximately 11,000 years ago at the end of the Pleistocene, following the arrival of humans to the Americas.
Cingulata, part of the superorder Xenarthra, is an order of armored New World placental mammals. Dasypodids and chlamyphorids, the armadillos, are the only surviving families in the order. Two groups of cingulates much larger than extant armadillos existed until recently: pampatheriids, which reached weights of up to 200 kg (440 lb) and chlamyphorid glyptodonts, which attained masses of 2,000 kg (4,400 lb) or more.
Glyptodon is a genus of glyptodont that lived from the Pleistocene, around 2.5 million years ago, to the Early Holocene, around 11,000 years ago, in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, Brazil, and Colombia. It was the first named extinct cingulate and is the type genus of Glyptodontinae, and, or, Glyptodontinae. Many species have been named for the genus, though few are considered valid, and it is one of, if not the, best known genus of glyptodont. Hundreds of specimens have been referred to the genus, but the holotype, or name specimen, of the type species, G. clavipes, was described in 1839 by notable British paleontologist Sir Richard Owen. The holotype used by Owen is a chimera of fossils from 3 different localities, including a molariform used for the name of the genus that actually belongs to Panochthus, making it a species inquirenda.
Euphractinae is an armadillo subfamily in the family Chlamyphoridae.
Propalaehoplophorus, also written as Propalaeohoplophorus, is an extinct genus of glyptodont, which lived in South America during the Early Miocene epoch.
Stegotherium is an extinct genus of long-nosed armadillo, belonging to the Dasypodidae family alongside the nine-banded armadillo. It is currently the only genus recognized as a member of the tribe Stegotheriini. It lived during the Early Miocene of Patagonia and was found in Colhuehuapian rocks from the Sarmiento Formation, Santacrucian rocks from the Santa Cruz Formation, and potentially also in Colloncuran rocks from the Middle Miocene Collón Curá Formation. Its strange, almost toothless and elongated skull indicates a specialization for myrmecophagy, the eating of ants, unique among the order Cingulata, which includes pampatheres, glyptodonts and all the extant species of armadillos.
Macroeuphractus is a genus of extinct armadillos from the Late Miocene to Late Pliocene of South America. The genus is noted for its large size, with Macroeuphractus outesi being the largest non-pampathere or glyptodont armadillo discovered, as well as its specializations for carnivory, unique among all xenarthrans.
Utaetus is an extinct genus of mammal in the order Cingulata, related to the modern armadillos. The genus contains a single species, Utaetus buccatus. It lived in the Late Paleocene to Late Eocene and its fossil remains were found in Argentina and Brazil in South America.
Kelenkura is an extinct genus of heavily armored mammals belonging to the subfamily Glyptodontinae, from the family Chlamyphoridae that contain most of the modern armadillos. It was a medium-sized South American animal, distantly related to Doedicurus. Fossils of this genus were recovered in the Arroyo Chasicó Formation and in the Loma de Las Tapias Formation of Argentina in rocks dating back to the Late Miocene epoch.
Machlydotherium is an extinct genus of cingulate of uncertain systematic affinities, perhaps belonging to the Pampatheriidae. It lived from the Middle Eocene to the Early Oligocene, and its fossilized remains were found in South America.
Scirrotherium is an extinct genus of pampatheres, a family of herbivorous cingulates, related to the similar but smaller modern armadillos, and with the now extinct glyptodonts, well-known from their shell-like armor. Its scientific name is derived from the Greek prefix "skiros-", "cover", and the suffix "-therion, "beast", while the name of the type species, hondaensis, honors the town of Honda, in the Tolima Department of Colombia. Scirrotherium is one of several genera of xenarthrans found in the La Venta fauna, dated from the Middle Miocene.
Punatherium is an extinct genus of xenarthran, belonging to the family Dasypodidae. It lived from the Middle to the Late Eocene, and its fossilized remains were discovered in South America.
Stenotatus is an extinct genus of cingulate, belonging to the family Dasypodidae. It lived from the Early to the Late Miocene in South America.
Neoglyptatelus is an extinct genus of xenarthran, belonging to the order Cingulata. It lived from the Middle to the Late Miocene, and its fossilized remains are found in South America.
Proeuphractus is an extinct genus of xenarthran, related to the modern armadillos. It lived from the Early to the Late Miocene, and its fossilized remains were discovered in South America.
Prozaedyus is an extinct genus of chlamyphorid armadillo that lived during the Middle Oligocene and Middle Miocene in what is now South America.
Cochlops is an extinct genus of glyptodont. It lived from the Early to Middle Miocene, and its fossilized remains have been found in South America.
Nanoastegotherium is an extinct genus of cingulate, belonging to the family Dasypodidae, which includes the modern nine-banded armadillos. The name of the genus means "small Astegotherium", referring to its small size, smaller than the modern southern long-nosed armadillo, and to its affinities with Astegotherium, with which it forms the tribe Astegotheriini, within the family Dasypodidae. Its type species is Nanoastegotherium prostatum, whose species translates to "earlier" due to its age compared to Astegotherium.
Dasypus neogaeus is an extinct species of armadillo, belonging to the genus Dasypus, alongside the modern nine-banded armadillo. The only known fossil is a single osteoderm, though it has been lost, that was found in the Late Miocene strata of Argentina.
