Cingulata

Glyptodon and Nine-banded Armadillo

America

The armored Xenarthra ( Cingulata ) form an order of Xenarthra ( Xenarthra ).

The only one still surviving family of this order are the armadillos ( Dasypodidae ), besides a number of extinct species such as the Glyptodontidae and Pampatheriidae are still counted it.

As the name suggests, the armored Xenarthra are characterized by a marked carapace. While today's armadillo species are relatively small, reaching some extinct genera, such as Glyptotherium a length of 3 meters.

The oldest find, bone plates of Prostegotherium, date from the late Paleocene. During most of the Cenozoic era, they remained restricted to South America, with the rise of the land bridge of Panama they came to North America.

The extinct representatives were many herbivores, while feed today's armadillos mainly of insects.

The closest relatives of armored Xenarthra are the teeth arms, which are sloths and anteaters. Together they form the plant species of Xenarthra ( Xenarthra ).