Tail blow energy and carapace fractures in a large

Authors: ALEXANDER R McNEILL FARIÑA RICHARD A VIZCAÍNO SERGIO F

Publish Date: 1999/05/01

Volume: 126, Issue: 1, Pages: 41-49

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Abstract

R McNEILL ALEXANDER RICHARD A FARIÑA SERGIO F VIZCAÍNO Tail blow energy and carapace fractures in a large glyptodont Mammalia Xenarthra Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society Volume 126 Issue 1 May 1999 Pages 41–49 https//doiorg/101111/j109636421999tb00606xGlyptodonts had muscular tails terminating in many cases with a rigid bony sheath which in Doedicurus and Panochthus was a formidable club Some carapaces show fractures which have been interpreted as resulting from intraspecific fights We estimate the energy that the tail muscles could have supplied for a blow and the energy required to fracture the carapace and obtain results of the same order of magnitude Thus it is not unreasonable to interpret die observed damage as resulting from fights A space between the thoracic and lumbar vertebral column and the carapace may have been occupied by a fatty pad which would have served as a protective cushion reducing the force of impacts

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