72 



Edentata — Armadillos. 



G-lyptodon. 



Glass-case 



Q. 

 Glyptodon. 



"Wall-oase, 

 No. 20. 



There is a complete joint at the base of the Beck, the seven 

 vertebras of which remain free and moveable ; and in the tail all 

 the vertebra? are anchylosed together except the four immediatelv 

 behind the sacrum. 



Several genera and numerous species have been determined, 

 the latter being distinguished principally by the variations in 

 the ornamentation and form of the tesserae of the carapace and 

 the tail-sheath. 



The typical genus is Glyptodon (sculptured-tooth), so named 

 by Sir Richard Owen in reference to the sculptured aspect of the 

 grinding surface of the teeth. 



In Glass-case (Q), near the centre window at the east end of 

 the Pavilion, is placed the reproduction of the complete 

 skeleton, together with the body-arrnour of an extinct gigantic 

 Armadillo from South America, named Glyptodon, the separate 

 bones and portions of the armour of which are also exhibited 

 in the adjacent wall-case. The casts of the different portions 

 of the skeleton and its carapace are not taken from the same 

 individual, nor probably even from the same species of Glyp- 

 todon, but are placed together in order to convey a better idea 

 of the great size and general form of these extinct Armadillos. 



Fig. 86.— Lateral view of the skull of the living Armadillo, from South America. 



The restored carapace and skeleton of Glyptodon measures 

 from the snout to the end of the armour-plated tail, following 

 the curve of the back, 11 feet 6 inches, the tessellated body- 

 shield being 7 feet in length and 9 feet across, following the 

 curve at the middle of the back. 



As already remarked these large extinct species differed 

 from the modern Armadillos in having no bands, or joints, in 

 their coat of mail. The six-banded Armadillo is less than a 

 foot in length, but the great Glyptodon was so ponderous and 

 bulky that it could not be overturned, and it only needed 

 to draw up its legs close to its body, so as to rest its carapace 

 on the ground, and bend its armour-plated head down in front, 

 to be perfectly protected on all sides from the attack of any 

 enemy. An example of the skeleton of the small living species 



