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How large were extinct armadillo relatives that lived in North America during the Pleistocene Epoch?

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During the Pleistocene Epoch, North America was home to several massive relatives of modern armadillos. These extinct creatures included:

  • Glyptodonts: These giant mammals were encased in thick, protective armor. Their body shells alone could reach lengths of 1.5 meters (5 feet), and they possessed armored tails that could function as defensive clubs.1
  • Large Armadillo Subfamily Members: Fossil evidence from Florida indicates the presence of a beast that reached 2 meters (6.6 feet) in length and weighed approximately 230 kg (500 pounds) as recently as 10,000 years ago.2
  • Rhinoceros-sized Species: A nearly complete skeleton discovered in Texas reveals an even larger species from the Pleistocene that was nearly the size of a rhinoceros.2

Unlike modern armadillos, which have movable bands in their armor, many of these prehistoric relatives, such as the Glyptodon, featured a single, unjointed carapace.12