The enormous size of the glyptodons has raised some questions about their lineage, but scientists believe that they are the ancient ancestors of an animal that most have us have seen at least once or twice in our lives. It is a much smaller mammal that is also covered by a protective shell.
Although they are vastly different in size, it turns out that the enormous prehistoric glyptodons are related to the medium-sized modern-day armadillo. When you take their size into account, there is one more surprising thing scientists found out about the glyptodon fossil the Argentinian farmer stumbled upon.
Original Habitat
Although doubts were raised about the authenticity of the fossil found on the property of Jose Antonio Nievas, glyptodons are known to have originally evolved in South America, and the species resided there for tens of millions of years.
The remains of other glyptodons have also been found in Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil. When the continents of South and North America melded together, the Great American Interchange occurred, and the species migrated northward to the southern part of what is currently the United States. That all happened 2.5 million years ago, but the story is far from over.
The Path to Extinction
Paleontologist Alejandro Kramarz of the Bernadino Rivadavia Natural Sciences Museum told AFP that “The animal became extinct thousands of years ago, and it is very common to find their fossils in this region.” Even though these animals, which are now extinct, lived thousands of years ago, scientists are still studying their unexpected relationship with other species, which may have even led to their demise.
Experts have found evidence that humans used to hunt these enormous armored creatures in order to use their dome-shaped shells for shelter roughly 10,000 years ago, not long before the species became extinct. It is believed that the annihilation of the species coincided with the arrival of humans to the Americas. Humanity may have outlived these amazing creatures, but most of us know their contemporary relative.
It Wasn’t Fully Grown
The 2-ton fossil that was found on the farm in Argentina seemed enormous. Its shell was measured at an astonishing three feet, but apparently, this glyptodon was not even fully grown. Paleontologists’ research suggests that the shell of a fully matured specimen could reach up to 11 feet!
It is hard to believe that these enormous creatures used to roam freely across these lands, which are now populated. Jose Antonio Nieves’s incredible accidental discovery of a glyptodon fossil has surely helped scientists find out more about these creatures who became extinct so long ago. Keep reading for an even more unbelievable discovery.
Another Farmer Unearths a Mystery
The discovery made by Jose Antonio Nieves of an enormous prehistoric fossil on his farm in Argentina was extraordinary, but surprisingly it was not the only unbelievable discovery made by an unsuspecting farmer in a small town that year.
On a different side of the planet, in the Northern Hemisphere, James Bristle, a farmer from Michigan, was working the soybean field on his farm when he unexpectedly encountered something amazing. So amazing it would turn him into a local celebrity and soon after into a worldwide media sensation.