| Proeuphractus Temporal range: Early-Late Miocene- ~ | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Cingulata |
| Family: | Chlamyphoridae |
| Subfamily: | Euphractinae |
| Genus: | † Proeuphractus Ameghino, 1886 |
| Type species | |
| †Proeuphractus limpidus Ameghino 1886 | |
| Species | |
| |
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.
This animal was quite similar to the modern six-banded armadillo, but it was probably larger than the giant armadillo. Proeuphractus had a carapace similar to that of modern armadillos, with complete mobile bands of osteoderms, allowing the animal to at least partially roll up. The dermal osteoderms were robust and had the same basic ornamentation, except along the carapace axis, where the osteoderms presented a torsion of the central figure towards the postero-external corner, and were devoid of central follicle. Hair dimples could however be observed along the lateral margins and the posterior border.
The genus Proeuphractus was first described in 1886 by Florentino Ameghino, based on fossil remains found in Argentina in Late Miocene terrains. The type species is Proeuphractus limpidus, whose fossils have also been found in Uruguay. Several other species were later attributed to the genus, such as Proeuphractus laevis, P. limus, P. nanus, P. recens and P. setiger, the latter being the most ancient species, from the Early Miocene.
Proeuphractus was initially considered a member of the subfamily Euphractinae, close to the origin of the extant genus Euphractus (hence the genus name Proeuphractus), but more recent studies tends to indicate that it was nested at the basis of the subfamily Euphractinae, along with its relative Macroeuphractus .
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.
Hoplophorus is an extinct genus of glyptodont, a subfamily of armadillos. The only confidently known species was H. euphractus, found in Pleistocene deposits in Brazil, though fossils possibly from another species are known from Bolivia.
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.
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.
Neosclerocalyptus was an extinct genus of glyptodont that lived during the Pliocene, Pleistocene, and Holocene of Southern South America, mostly Argentina. It was small compared to many Glyptodonts at only around 2 meters long and 360 kilograms.
Lomaphorus is a possibly dubious extinct genus of glyptodont that lived during the Pleistocene in eastern Argentina. Although many species have been referred, the genus itself is possibly dubious or synonymous with other Glyptodonts like Neoslerocalyptus from the same region.
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.
Proeutatus is an extinct genus of xenarthran, belonging to the order Cingulata. It lived during the Early 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.
Eucinepeltus is an extinct genus of Glyptodont. It lived during the Early Miocene, and its fossilized remains were discovered in South America.
Glyptatelus is an extinct genus of glyptodont. It lived from the Late Eocene to the Middle Oligocene in what is now Argentina and Bolivia.
Palaehoplophorus is an extinct genus of glyptodont. It lived from the Middle to the Late Miocene, and its fossilized remains were discovered in South America.
Plohophorus is an extinct genus of Glyptodont. it lived from the Late Miocene to the Late Pliocene, and its fossilized remains were discovered in South America.
Phlyctaenopyga is an extinct genus of Glyptodont. It lived from the Late Miocene to the Early Pliocene, and its fossilized remains were discovered in South America.
Neuryurus is an extinct genus of glyptodont. It lived from the Late Pliocene to the Early Holocene, and its fossilized remains were discovered in South America.
Comaphorus is a dubious extinct genus of glyptodont. It lived during the Late Miocene in Argentina, but only one fossil has ever been referred to the animal.
Asterostemma is an extinct genus of glyptodont. It lived during the Middle Miocene, and its fossilized remains were discovered in 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.
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.
