1.7" Glyptodon Fossil Osteoderm Scute Plate Bony Armor Pleistocene Age Uruguay COA
Location: Uruguay
Weight: 0.7 Ounces
Dimension: 1.7 Inches Long, 1.4 Inches Wide, 0.9 Inches Thick
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The item pictured is the one you will receive.
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Glyptodon is a genus of extinct giant mammals related to modern armadillos and found as fossils in deposits in North and South America dating from the Pliocene and Pleistocene epochs (5.3 million to 11,700 years ago). Glyptodon and its close relatives, the glyptodonts, were encased from head to tail in thick, protective armor resembling in shape the shell of a turtle but composed of bony plates much like the covering of an armadillo. The body shell alone was as long as 1.5 meters (5 feet). The tail, also clad in armor, could serve as a lethal club; indeed, in some relatives of Glyptodon, the tip of the tail was a knob of bone that was sometimes spiked. Glyptodonts ate almost anything—plants, carrion, or insects.
Glyptodon was a giant, extinct mammal closely related to modern armadillos. Fossils of this remarkable creature have been found across North and South America, dating from the Pliocene to the Pleistocene epochs, roughly 5.3 million to 11,700 years ago. Its most striking feature was its massive, dome-shaped armor covering its body, made of bony plates similar to an armadillo’s shell but far larger. The tail was also protected, sometimes ending in a bony knob or spike, which could have been used as a defensive weapon.
Despite its unusual appearance, Glyptodon was not a hybrid of animals as it might seem in pictures—it was firmly part of the armadillo family. Adults could reach lengths of about 10 feet and weigh nearly a ton, comparable to the size of a small car. Its short, sturdy legs carried its heavy armor, making it extremely difficult for predators to attack. Only a predator capable of turning it over could access its vulnerable underside.
Glyptodon disappeared around 10,000 years ago, just before the last Ice Age ended. While changes in climate likely contributed to its extinction, human activity played a major role. Early inhabitants hunted these massive mammals for meat and fur, and some evidence suggests that their shells were even used as temporary shelters in harsh conditions.
