Reference articles on history, science, culture and more
Encyclopedia

Stromaphorus

Extinct genus of mammals

Stromaphorus is an extinct genus of Glyptodont. It lived during the Late Miocene, and its fossilized remains were discovered in South America.

01Description

This animal, like all glyptodonts, had a strong carapace covering almost its entire body, consisting of numerous osteoderms fused together. The tail was protected by four rings of osteoderms, the last of which being fused with a terminal caudal tube, similar to that of Neosclerocalyptus. Unlike Neosclerocalyptus, the large lateral osteoderms covering the skull of Stromaphorus were contiguous. Its skull was narrow and elevated in the back. Its teeth were large and tall. Its feet were rather slender, with elongated metapods and phalanges.

02Classification

The genus Stromaphorus was first described in 1926 by Castellanos. Two species were attributed to the genus, Stromaphorus compressidens and S. cuneiformis, both from Late Miocene Argentina.

Stromaphorus belonged to the tribe Hoplophorini, a widespread and diverse clade of glyptodonts, including genera such as Hoplophorus and Neosclerocalyptus. However, the precise phylogenetic relationships between Stromaphorus and the other members of its clade are still unclear.

Watch videos about StromaphorusExplainers and documentaries on YouTube (opens in a new tab)

Sources and credits

This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article Stromaphorus, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.

Fathomly is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Wikimedia Foundation. Spotted a problem? Tell us.