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| Prozaedyus | |
|---|---|
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| Carapace ofProzaedyus | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Cingulata |
| Family: | Chlamyphoridae |
| Subfamily: | Euphractinae |
| Genus: | †Prozaedyus Ameghino, 1891 |
| Type species | |
| Prozaedius exilis Ameghino 1887 | |
| Species | |
| |
Prozaedyus is anextinctgenus ofchlamyphorid armadillo that lived during the Middle Oligocene and Middle Miocene in what is nowSouth America.
It was a small-sized animal, and its life appearance was probably similar to that of the extantpichi, and its length didn't exceeded more than 40 centimeters. It differed from the pichi by a well-developed scapular armor, the enlargement of its tympanic bulla and the ossification of its external auditory canal. Like several modernarmadillos,Prozaedyus was characterized by its carapace formed by straight and narrow osteoderms, with small hair foramina. Foramina were often present along the sides of the osteoderms, as well as along its back.Prozaedyus had no teeth in its premaxilla, while its maxilla had 7–8 teeth, and the mandible had 10.
The first fossils of this animal were discovered in EarlyMiocene terrains inArgentina, and were described in 1887 byFlorentino Ameghino under the speciesDasypus exilis. Ameghino later erected the genusProzaedyus for these remains, finding several affinities with the modern genusZaedyus. In addition toProzaedyus exilis, thetype species, several other species were later attributed to the genus by Ameghino, such as the largerProzaedyus impressum,P. humilis,P. planus andP. tennuissimus. All these species are mainly distinguished by its osteoderm details. Fossils attributed toProzaedyus have also been found inBolivia andChile.
Prozaedyus is one of the oldest members of the familyChlamyphoridae, which comprise most of the extant genera of armadillos. Ameghino considered this genus as an ancestor of the extantZaedyus.
