Allometry of the bones of living and extinct armadilf^ ^^^^^^ (Xenarthra, Dasypoda)

This study examines the allometry of long bones in ten Speeles of armadillo spanning the entire size range of the group, and including its five extant subfamilies. The fossil Speeles Propraopus grandis (middle to late Pleistocene of South America) was included in order to assess its locomotory habits. Its mass was estimated to be about 47 kg, assuming a geometrical similarity to two Speeles of Dasypus. It was concluded that the armadillos scale their humeri, ulna and partially thelr tibla llke other digging mammals previously studled, i.e. ctenomyld rodents, but thelr femora as generalised mammals. The limb bone dlmenslons of Propraopus grandis are those expected for an armadillo of its size. Priodontes maximus was found to have a humerus stronger than expected from the general pattern of armadillos.