Sometimes evolution endows a species with subtle adaptations to suit its environment. Other times, it can be a little more blunt. The Glyptodon is an example of the latter, its body encased within a thick shell of protective armor, and a tail covered in dermal rings for use as a weapon. These features protected Glyptodons from attack by carnivorous predators, allowing these hulking animals to survive three million years, from the Pliocene epoch to 10,000 years ago, three times the lifespan of most mammals.

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The Glyptodon was related to today’s armadillos, but were much larger, with some of them growing to the size of a small car. A Glyptodon’s carapace was made up of around 1,800 rigid osteoderm plates, which locked around them like a suit of natural armor. Osteoderms can serve many functions beyond protection; in cold-blooded reptiles, they provide thermal regulation. For the Glyptodon though, this function is unneeded—their shells were purely for protection against attack.

The Glyptodon’s shell was so effective that it was often ignored by predators. This meant that for a time, the only animals it needed to worry about were other Glyptodons. Markings found on some fossils show that intraspecies conflict was somewhat common, as males would swing  their heavy tails against each other to crash down on rivals’ shells. This behavior was likely over territory or mates, like antlers in bucks today. In fact, it is likely that this was why their armor evolved in the first place. 

Glyptodon’s adaptations are a testament to evolution’s power—in fact, Glyptodons helped form the bedrock of Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. During his voyage aboard the HMS Beagle, Darwin encountered a fossilized Glyptodon shell along the Argentine coast, three years before landing on the Galápagos. The fossil was unusual to Darwin. It was so clearly related to contemporary armadillos but was also unlike any living animal in South America. Long before he encountered his famous tortoises, it was the Glyptodon that helped get the gears turning in Darwin’s head.

Glyptodons' unusual traits allowed them to safely explore many different environments. Originating in South America, Glyptodons then radiated into North America three million years ago during the Great American Interchange, when the continents were first linked by Panama’s formation. On the continent, they lived from what is now Texas to South Carolina, keeping mostly to low-lying water areas where they could graze easily. It was here that Glyptodons first made contact with the species that would be their downfall: humans.

In a twist of fate, the Glyptodon’s shell that made them so resilient to attack ultimately made them the target of a smarter predator. There is evidence that overhunting may have led to their extinction, as humans found that the Glyptodon’s carapace was a useful shelter against harsh weather. Within their heavy shells, Glyptodons were unable to quickly fight back against the reaching spears of humans.