Holmesina

Holmesina
Fossil skeleton of H. septentrionalis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Cingulata
Family: Pampatheriidae
Genus: Holmesina
Simpson 1930
Species
  • H. cryptae Moura, Gois, Galliari, & Fernandes 2019[1]
  • H. floridanus Robertson 1976
  • H. major
  • H. occidentalis Hoffstetter 1952
  • H. paulacoutoi Cartelle & Bohórquez 1985
  • H. rondoniensis
  • H. septentrionalis Leidy 1889

Holmesina is a 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 occidentalis
Life reconstruction of Holmesina floridanus and size comparation.

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]

  1. ^ Moura, J. F.; Gois, F.; Galliari, F. C.; Fernandes, M. A. (2019). "A new and most complete pampathere (Mammalia, Xenarthra, Cingulata) from the Quaternary of Bahia, Brazil". Zootaxa. 4661 (3): 401–444. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4661.3.1. PMID 31716695. S2CID 202858857.
  2. ^ "Yahoo! Groups". Archived from the original on November 24, 2013.