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GIANT ARMADILLO SEPTENTRIONALIS HAND CLAW Withlacoochee River - Florida, U.S.A. PLEISTOCENE PERIOD: 1.81 million years - 10,000 years ago This magnificent Giant Armadillo front claw is unquestionably one of the finest examples we have seen. It is of the finest grade with stunning preservation and detail. It once belonged to the hand of 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 claw is remarkable in its condition and is a very uncommon find. Believe it or not, dinosaur claws from the Cretaceous are more plentiful than a fossil Giant Armadillo claw! It is rare in both its quality of preservation and its degree of perfect completeness having been protected deep in a layer of river clay where it was discovered. The surface is impeccable and shows every minute detail as shown above in the close-up images. Last image above shows perfectly smooth articulating joint. A specimen this rare and in this perfect of a condition would be an excellent investment specimen as well as serve as a valuable original specimen to make a cast of for any company selling educational replicas. Last image below of a Holmesina floridanus shows hand with similar claw as this one being offered. 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. VERY RARE FIND - COMPLETE FRONT CLAWS OF THIS EXTINCT BEAST ARE USUALLY BROKEN - AAA! 2.3" long on the curve $195 LM5-017 Actual Item - One Only |
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WITHLACOOCHEE RIVER, NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA |
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195 |
