Chlamyphorus, Holmesin, Peltephilus and Epoicotherium

Epoicotherium unicum (Simpson 1927; Rose and Emry 1983; Eocene and Oligocene, 40mya) this taxon was considered a scansorial insectivore, a palaeonodon and a fossorial pangolin relative close to the edentate, Xenocranium. Here Epoicotherium nests with armadillos as originally suggested by Simpson 1927. This tiny specimen has an expanded occiput, as in the mole, Talpa.

Chaetophractus vellerosus (Gray 1865, originally Dasypus vellerosus, up to 40cm in length) is the living screaming hairy armadillo from the Pampas of Argentina. Armor covers the dorsal surfaces. Long fur emerges between the scales, which are modified hairs. Note the high shoulder joing and horizontal scapula.

Chlamyphorus trunca (Harlan 1825) is the living fairy armadillo, a tiny extant sister to Holmensia. Armor covers the dorsal and posterior surfaces. Long fur covers the rest. The hands and feet are quite large, ideal for burrowing.

Holmesina septentrionalis (Simpson 1930, Pleistocene, 2.5mya; up to 2m in length) is an extinct long-nosed glyptodont basal to aarvarks, armadillos and anteaters in order of increasing distance. Fossils are found from Brazil to Florida.

Peltephilus ferox (Ameghino 1897; Miocene; 1.5 m long) Aside from the horned gophers of North America, this is the only known fossorial horned mammal.

The seven teeth (x4) of Peltephilus formed a complete arcade. The premolars were molarized. The remaining 3 premolars and 3 molars comprise the remainder of the arcade with the molars remaining ventral to the laterally expanded jugals, as in sister taxa.

Postcranially Peltephilus had transverse bands of ossified armor along the back. It had short legs and large claws, ideal for digging or ripping open ant colonies.

Ameghino F 1894. Enumeration Synoptique des especes de mammiferes fossiles des formations Eocenes de Patagonie. Boletin de la Academia Nacional de Ciencias en Cordoba (Republica Argentina) 13:259-452.

Ameghino F 1897. Mamiferos Cretaceos de la Argentina. Segunda contribucion al conocimiento de la fauna mastologica de las capas con restos de Pyrotherium. - Boletin Instituto Geografico Argentino 18:406-521.

Burmeister H 1863. Ein neuer Chlamyphorus. Abhandlungen Naturforschende Gesellschaft zu Halle 7:165–171.

Emry RJ and Rose KD 1983. Extraordinary Fossorial Adaptations in the Oligocene Palaeonodonts Epoicotherium and Xenocranium (Mammalia). Journal of Morphology 175(1):33–56.

Gaudin TJ and Lyon LM 2017. Cranial osteology of the pampathere Holmesina floridanus (Xenarthra: Cingulata Blancan NALMA), including a description of an isolated petrosal bone. https://peerj.com/articles/4022/

Gray JE 1865. Revision of the Genera and Species of Entomophagous Edentata founded on the examination of the specimens in the British Museum. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. Zoological Society of London: 376.

Harlan R 1825. Annals of the Lyceum of Natural History of New York. 1: 235.

Osborn HF 1904. An armadillo from the Middle Eocene (Bridger) of North America. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 20:163–165.

Pallas PS 1766. Miscellanea Zoologica.

Simpson GG 1927. A North American Oligocene edentate. Ann. Carnegie Mus. 17:283-98.

Simpson GG 1935. New Paleocene mammals from the Fort Union of Montana. Proceedings of the U. S. National Musem 83: 221-244.

Simpson GG 1930. Holmesina septentrionalis, extinct giant armadillo of Florida. American Museum Novitates 442:1-10

Smith P and Owen RD 2014. Calyptophractus retusus (Cingulata: Dasypodidae). Mammalian Species 49(947):57–62.

Vizcaino SF and Farina RA 1997. Diet and locomotion of the armadillo Peltephilus: a new view. Lethaia, 30, 79-86.

Wortman JL 1903. Studies of Eocene Mammalia in the Marsch Collection, Peabody Museum, American Journal of Science 16:345-68.

wiki/Holmesina
wiki/Pink_fairy_armadillo
wiki/Peltephilus
wiki/Epoicotherium - not yet posted
wiki/Screaming_hairy_armadillo - Chaetophractus

Mammalia

Ornithorhynchus and kin

Marsupials - Metatheria

Eomaia and kin

Placentalia 2

Tupaia and kin

Placentalia 1

Primates – Chiroptera

Carnivora

Edentata Xenarthra

Epoicotherium

Manis

Orycteropus

Dasypus

Tamandua - Cyclopes

Odontoceti

Orcinus

Basal Condylarthra

Onychodectes and kin

Basal Ungulata

Phenacodus

Paenugulata

Elephas and kin

Derived Ungulata

Hippopotamus and kin

Artiodactyla

Giraffa and kin

Perissodactyla

Equus and kin

© After5

contact: info@reptileevolution.com

Home Page