Riostegotherium

Riostegotherium was an extinct genus of armadillo from the Early to Late Eocene of South America. Fossils of the genus have been found in the Andesitas Huancache Formation of Argentina and in the Itaboraí Formation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.[1]

Riostegotherium
Temporal range: Early-Late Eocene (Itaboraian-Divisaderan)
~53–41 Ma
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Cingulata
Family: Dasypodidae
Genus: †Riostegotherium
Oliveira & Bergqvist, 1998
Species:
†R. yanei
Binomial name
†Riostegotherium yanei
Oliveira & Bergqvist, 1998

Etymology

The genus is named Riostegotherium after Rio, of Rio de Janeiro, in reference to the state where the specimens were found; stego (Latin), meaning "covering"; therium (a latinized Greek word), meaning "beast", a commonly-used suffix for mammalian genera.[2]

Description

It is known from fossil of armoured ossicles which are similar to the ossicles of the armour of morden armadillos that is obvious that in South American as far back as the late Paleocene armoured armadillos existed. Leg bones found in the area of probably came from Riostegotherium as well.

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References
  1. Riostegotherium at Fossilworks.org
  2. Oliveira & Bergqvist, 1998, p.36

Bibliography

Further reading
  • World Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs & Prehistoric Creatures - Dougal Dixon


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