The Cambridge natural history, Vol. 10 (of 10)Beddard, Frank E. (Frank Evers)
Science
The Cambridge natural history, Vol. 10 (of 10)
Beddard, Frank E. (Frank Evers)
Animals; Mammals
_Propalaeohoplophorus_ is, unlike the great Armadillos that we have
hitherto dealt with, a small animal, not exceeding 2 feet or so in length
of carapace. A small alveolus on each side of the premaxillae seems to
suggest the former presence of an incisor tooth; and it seems that the
animal possesses both true molars and premolars; for the first four of the
eight teeth are much {186} simpler in structure than those which follow.
The dorsal vertebrae again are not fused together; the hind-limbs are
five-toed. All the plates of the carapace are arranged in definite
transverse rows; it has been observed, too, that some of the anterior
scutes overlap like those of the Armadillos, to which this animal possesses
further likenesses in the exclusion of the maxillae from the border of the
nostril (a Glyptodont character), and the comparative feebleness of the
scutes.
A primitive genus also appears to be _Peltephilus_, which is perhaps rather
an Armadillo than a _Glyptodon_. However, it comes somewhat between the
two, like _Propalaeohoplophorus_, with which it may therefore be treated. A
most singular feature of this genus has been mentioned on p. 27 in
connexion with the skull in the Mammalia generally. That is the fact that a
portion of the squamosal surrounding the articular facet for the lower jaw
is separated by a suture from the rest of that bone, and is therefore
obviously suggestive of the quadrate in the lower Vertebrates. As in
certain Armadillos and Glyptodons, etc., the pterygoids appear in this
genus to have taken a share in the formation of the hard palate. The plates
of the carapace were movable, as is shown by the fact that they sometimes
slightly overlap. In view of the possible origin of the Edentates from
lowly-organised Mammalia, it is noteworthy that the humerus has been
especially compared to that of the Monotreme. _Peltephilus_ differs from
other Armadillos in having teeth in the front of the jaws. The total number
of teeth is twenty-eight, _i.e._ seven in each half of each jaw.
SUB-ORDER 2. NOMARTHRA.
As already explained, the Old-World Edentates differ from the New-World
forms in having normal dorsal vertebrae, that is to say, without additional
zygapophyses. That negative feature, however, though combined with the
positive fact that both the Old-World forms feed upon ants, is hardly
sufficient to outweigh the many structural differences which distinguish
the Orycteropodidae from the Manidae; which will be placed therefore in
different groups. To that containing the Aard Vark, the name TUBULIDENTATA
may be applied. {187}
This group contains but one family, the ORYCTEROPODIDAE, of which there is
but a single genus.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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