Fossil Giant Armadillo (Holmesina) Scute - Florida

This is a scute or armor plate of a prehistoric, giant Armadillo (Holmesina septentrionalis) It was collected from the Pleistocene aged deposits in Northern Florida.

Holmesina is an extict armadillo-like creature that was distantly related to extant armadillos. Like armadillos, and unlike the other extinct branch of megafaunal cingulates, the glyptodonts, the shell was made up of flexible plates which allowed the animal to move more easily. Holmesina species were herbivores that grazed on coarse vegetation; armadillos are mostly insectivorous or omnivorous.

Holmesina individuals were much larger than any modern armadillo: They could reach a length of 2 m, and a weight of 227 kg (500 lbs).