Glyptodon

extinct · armadillo · ice age · south america

Armored like a tank. Glyptodon was a massive relative of today's armadillos, covered in a hard protective shell made of bony plates. It was one of the biggest armadillos that ever lived, as large as a modern car.

Peaceful plant-eater. Unlike many other giant animals of its time, Glyptodon was herbivorous, meaning it ate only plants and vegetation. It used its sturdy body to munch on the plants and shrubs of ancient South America.

Lived for millions of years. Glyptodon roamed South America for an incredibly long time, from about 3.2 million years ago until roughly 11,000 years ago when the last ones disappeared. That's a successful animal that survived through many changes in climate and landscape.

Confused early scientists. When paleontologists first dug up Glyptodon fossils in the early 1800s, they didn't always recognize what they were finding. Some scientists mistakenly thought the bones belonged to the giant ground sloth Megatherium instead of this amazing armored creature.

Named first of its kind. Glyptodon was the very first extinct armadillo-relative (called a cingulate) to be given a scientific name and studied by paleontologists. This makes it super important in the history of understanding prehistoric life.