Holmesina Temporal range: Early Pliocene-Late Pleistocene
(NALMA: Blancan-Rancholabrean) (SALMA: Uquian-Lujanian) ~ | |
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Fossil skeleton of H. septentrionalis | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Cingulata |
Family: | †Pampatheriidae |
Genus: | †Holmesina Simpson 1930 |
Species | |
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Holmesina is an extinct genus of pampathere, an extinct group of armadillo-like xenarthrans that were distantly related to extant armadillos. Like armadillos, and unlike the other extinct branch of megafaunal cingulates, the glyptodonts, the shell was made up of flexible plates which allowed the animal to move more easily.
Holmesina individuals were much larger than any modern armadillo: They could reach a length of 2 metres (6.6 ft), and a weight of 227 kilograms (500 lb), while the modern giant armadillo does not attain more than 54 kilograms (119 lb).[2]