ASMODEUS OSBORNI 135 



Asmodeus osborni Ameghino 



A. osborni Amegh., 1895, Bol. Inst. Geog. Argen., t. 15, p. 644. 

 A. osborni Amegh., 1897, Bol. Inst. Geog. Argen., t. 18, p. 478. 

 Homalodontotherium osborni Gaudry, 1906, Anal. Palaeontologie, t. I, p. II. 



The type of this species is a calcaneum and astragulus, 

 to which Ameghino later assigned the rear part of a mandi- 

 ble with pm. 4 and the three molars; also a milk dentition, 

 this last I think wrongly, for it is too small. I should 

 interpret this specimen as deciduous inc. 2 to deciduous 

 pm. 4, plus permanent molar i, in which case the permanent 

 molar corresponds to that of A. scotti and it is not necessary 

 to discuss "the remarkable bicuspid canine," as Ameghino 



Fig. 92. Molars 1-3 of the left side 1/2 natural size. 



does. Gaudry had some of this material, upper molars, 

 the lower end of the humerus, the ulna, calcaneum and 

 astragulus, and he referred the genus as the same as 

 Homoladontotherium. With this last, I can not agree. 

 We found the three upper molars, the lower end of the 

 humerus, part of the radius, the tibia, and two phalanges, 

 all on the Chico del Chubut, west of Puerto Visser. 



While brachydont, the external faces of the molars are 

 high, and each has a tiny cingulum along the base of the 

 crown. There is also a strong cingulum around the 

 anterior, internal, and posterior faces of the crown, which 

 on the posterior margin flares out, making a marked and 

 characteristic ridge. The grinding surface, with its ex- 

 ternal wall and two transverse lobes, is very similar to the 

 molar of a rhinoceros. When the tooth wears down, the 



