Description

Holmesina occidentalis was an herbivore, adapted to grazing coarser vegetation, likely in somewhat humid lowland settings (less arid than some related species). Its armor was made of osteoderms (bony plates) that were articulated — unlike glyptodonts, which had more rigid shells, pampatheres had semi-flexible armor with movable bands to allow some mobility.

Osteoderm studies show H. occidentalis’ plates were moderately ornamented (somewhat rugose) and thinner relative to some other species.

The known fossil skeleton at the Royal Ontario Museum is listed with dimensions: length ≈ 285 cm, width ~80 cm, height ~76 cm (for the skeleton as found)

Its geographical range is reconstructed mostly in western and northern South America: e.g. Ecuador, Peru, possibly adjacent regions.