Giant Glyptodont
Doedicurus clavicaudatus
📈🐢🐀
Chordata
Mammalia
Cingulata
Chlamyphoridae
Glyptodontidae
Doedicurus clavicaudatus
The Armored Tank of the Pleistocene Pampas, Doedicurus clavicaudatus was a colossal, club-tailed glyptodont — a relative of modern armadillos — that roamed the grasslands of South America. Protected by a dome of heavy armor and wielding a bone-studded tail like a mace, it was one of the most formidable herbivores of the Ice Age
Description
Doedicurus (Doedicurus clavicaudatus) — This extinct giant glyptodont lived during the Late Pleistocene (~2 million to 10,000 years ago). It had a massive, domed carapace of interlocking osteoderms, a small head with a short snout, and a heavy spiked tail club likely used for defense and combat. Adults measured 3.6 meters in length, stood about 1.5 meters tall, and weighed approximately 1,400–2,000 kilograms. Unlike its smaller armadillo relatives, Doedicurus could not roll up; its entire survival strategy relied on thick armor and brute strength.
Quick Facts
Max Mass
Shoulder Height
Standing Height
Length
Diet
Trophic Level
1400
1.5
2.25
4
kg
m
m
m
Mixed Feeder
Herbivores – Root/Tuber Feeders
Hunt History
Doedicurus coexisted with early South American humans, including Paleo-Indians of the Pampas and Patagonia. Archaeological evidence suggests they were hunted for their meat and carapaces, which could have served as shelters or cooking structures. Their slow movement and predictable grazing patterns made them vulnerable to coordinated human hunts.
Earliest Archaeological Evidence of Human Predation:
Piedra Museo, Argentina (~11,000 BP) — Glyptodont bones with cut marks found alongside human artifacts.
Arroyo Seco 2, Argentina (~10,500 BP) — Doedicurus remains associated with stone tools and fire evidence.
Pampa Grande, Uruguay (~10,000 BP) — Excavated carapace fragments with signs of butchery.
Time & Range
Extinction Status
Globally Extinct
Extinction Date
Temporal Range
Region
7000
BP
Holocene
South America
Wiki Link
Fat Analysis
Fatness Profile:
Low
Fat %
4
Est. Renderable Fat
56
kg
Targeted Organs
Tail-base fat, limb pockets
Adipose Depots
Tail-base pad, limb pockets; limited subcutaneous
Preferred Cuts
Tail-base depot
Hunt Difficulty (x/5)
4