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PERFECT GIANT ARMADILLO CAUDAL VERTEBRA - Santa Fe River - Florida, U.S.A. PLEISTOCENE PERIOD: 1.81 million years - 10,000 years ago This magnificent Giant Armadillo caudal vertebra is unquestionably of the finest preservation. It once belonged to the Giant Armadillo species Holmesina septentrionalis, a fascinating but now extinct beast that once inhabited what is now Florida in the United States. This solid and well-mineralized vertebra is remarkable in its condition. The surface is impeccable and shows every minute detail as shown above in the close-up images. Perfect articulating surfaces. Guaranteed NO REPAIR and NO RESTORATION. This beauty is AS FOUND! In North America, there are two species of Holmesina that are known with both based on Florida finds. The smaller animal is named, H. floridanus and lived during the late Pliocene on into the early Pleistocene. Floridanus' larger cousin at more than twice its size, H. septentrionalis, ranged from the middle to late Pleistocene. At over 600 pounds and exceeding 6 feet in length, the Giant Armadillo must have been one heavy land tank of an animal. It is believed these creatures spread to Florida during the Pleistocene from their original domain in South America. It is still a mystery as to what they ate. Modern armadillos eat insects but to sustain 600 pounds of body mass would have required some other type of food source. About 9800 years ago, a dramatic shift in the climate caused their extinction in Florida. COMPLETE AND OF THE NICEST CONDITION FROM A HIGHLY UNUSUAL EXTINCT ANIMAL! 1.65" long x 1.5" wide SOLD LM5-011 Actual Item - One Only |
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