/^ 



376 DASYPODIDJi. 



The differences in the form of the bones of the feet are described 

 and figured in Cuvier's ' Oss. Foss. ; ' but he does not appear to have 

 been a\Yare of the differences in the habit and mode of waUdng. 



Dr. Burmeister, in ' System. TJebers. der Thiere Brasiliens,' p. 276, 

 1854, divides the genus Dasypus of Linne into two subgenera — 

 Dasypus and Pmopvs — the latter for D. 9-cinchis of Linnaeus, and 

 synonymous with the genus Dasypus as restricted by AVagler. 



Fam. 3. DASYPODID^. 



The dorsal disk closely attached to the back of the animal, divided 

 in the middle by free rings into scapular and pelvic shields ; pelvic 

 shield free from the pelvis. Scapular and pelvic shields moderate ; 

 central rings several. Feet strong ; hind toes free ; claws large. 

 Skull smooth above, and separate from the frontal shield. Tail 

 elongate. Peltoclilamycles. — Gray, P. Z. S. 1865, p. 371. 

 Dasypodina, Gray, P. Z. S. 1865, p. 371. 



See development of teeth, Flower, P. Z. S. 1868, p. 378, and Ger- 

 vais, Hist. Mam. ii. p. 252, fig. 



Synopsis of the Genera. 



A. Digitigrade. Backs of feet round, covered icith plates ; toes of the front 



and hind feet separate ; claics conical. Head elongate ; ears close to- 

 gether. Choerochlamydes. 



1. Tattjsia. Toes 5 . 4. Tail with rings of plates. 



B. Plantigi-ade. Soles of feet fat, callous, ivith a prominent heel; toes of 



forefeSt united to tlie claws, compressed ; claws compressed, sharp-edged 

 below. Toes of hind feet separate; elates elongate. Head broad; ears 

 far apart. Platychlamydes. 



* Head conical. Teeth many, small. 



2. Prionodos. Toes 5.5; middle front very large ; outer front 



toes very small. Intermaxillary toothless. Four front bands 

 of tesserae of the scapular shield partially free. 



** Head Jiat, conical. Teeth few, nine or ten, large; interma.rillary with 

 one tooth on each side. 



3. Dasypus. Tail round at the base, tesserae convex. Marginal 



plates of the dorsal disk small ; nuchal band linear, broad to 

 the end ; first band of plates of the scapular shield fixed like 

 the rest. 



■»* Head broad, conical. Teeth feio, nine or ten, large ; intermaxillary 

 toothless. 



4. EuPHEACTUs. Tail ringed at the base ; tesserae convex. Mar- 



ginal plates of the dorsal disk falcate ; nuchal band narrow at 

 the sides ; first band of the scapular disk more or less free. 



5. Xentteus. Tail rather naked, with sunken shields. 



