2.6" Glyptodon Fossil Osteoderm Scute Plate Bony Armor Pleistocene Uruguay COA
Location: Uruguay
Weight: 3.8 Ounces
Dimension: 2.6 Inches Long, 2.3 Inches Wide, 1.7 Inches Thick
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The item pictured is the one you will receive.
Glyptodon was a genus of giant prehistoric mammals closely related to modern armadillos. Their fossils have been discovered throughout North and South America, in deposits dating from the Pliocene and Pleistocene epochs (about 5.3 million to 11,700 years ago). These impressive creatures were protected from head to tail by thick, bony armor plates forming a massive dome-shaped shell. Though reminiscent of a turtle’s shell in shape, Glyptodon’s armor was structurally similar to that of an armadillo. The carapace alone could measure up to 1.5 meters (5 feet) in length.
Their tails were also heavily armored, and in some glyptodont relatives, the tail ended in a solid bony club—sometimes even tipped with spikes—capable of delivering powerful defensive blows. Glyptodonts were omnivores and are believed to have consumed a variety of foods, including plants, insects, and carrion.
When looking at artistic reconstructions of Glyptodon, it’s easy to think you’re seeing a mix between a turtle, a beaver, and an armadillo. Despite this unusual appearance, Glyptodon was not closely related to turtles or beavers. Instead, it represents a massive, ancient cousin of today’s armadillos—one of the most iconic examples of Ice Age megafauna.
One of the most interesting facts about Glyptodon is that it was about the same size and weight as a Volkswagen Beetle car. Yes, it was approximately 10 feet long and weighed around a ton. This funny-looking mammal had short legs and a huge armored dome on its back. That would have made it almost impossible for predators to eat. Unless, of course, the predator was able to flip this mammal over. If it did that, then it most likely would have been able to eat it through its soft underbelly.
Glyptodon went extinct on the precipice of the last Ice Age, or about 10,000 years ago. Paleontologists believe that climate change wasn’t the only event responsible for this animal’s demise, however. They also believe that this animal was hunted to extinction. Not only would the meat and fur of this animal be highly prized by early South American settlers, but some evidence also points to the fact that they used this animal’s shells as a way to shelter themselves from the cold.
