Neosclerocalyptus ornatus Owen, 1845

Neosclerocalyptus ornatus Owen, 1845

Referred material: Cranium, 13 plates of osteoderms from dorsal carapace, and 61 isolated or fragmented osteoderms: PIMUZ A/ V 447 ( Fig. 4 View Fig ).

Comment: Te cranium of PIMUZ A/V 447 exhibits more developed fronto-nasal sinuses than N. pseudornatus , with a ventrally oriented ’funnel’-shape, showing a V-shape cleft separating the frontal from the maxilla. Te narial opening is larger than in N. pseudornatus and the pneumatization is more strongly developed but without reaching the stages of Neosclerocalyptus gouldi Zurita et al., 2008 , and N. paskoensis (Zurita et al., 2011) . I therefore propose a reattribution of PIMUZ A/V 447 to N. ornatus . Te presence of the cranium PIMUZ A/V 447 will also allow comparison of the endocranial cavities of the two oldest Neosclerocalyptus species from the Pampean Region (see above).

Neosclerocalyptus gouldi Zurita, Carlini & Scillato-Yané, 2008

Referred material: Incomplete part of the neurocranium (including ear ossicles), two fragments of mandible, right tibia and fibula (only distal parts preserved), isolated foot bones, fragment of cephalic shield, seven plates of osteoderms from the carapace: PIMUZ A/V 436 and 437

( Fig. 8 View Fig ); two cephalic shields: PIMUZ A/V 458.

Comment: PIMUZ A/V 436 and 437 exhibits a strong trilobation of mf2 and PIMUZ A/V 458 shows pronounced lateral curvatures of the cephalic shield, two anatomical features that support a preferential assignment to N. gouldi among Neosclerocalyptus species (Zurita et al., 2008). Te Roth collection at PIMUZ is of interest by the presence of specimen PIMUZ A/V 436 and 437 for which the ear bones are preserved. Schulthess (1920) stated that the specimen probably corresponds to a young individual, but I am unable to find arguments to confirm this statement except for the relatively small size, but remaining close to the size range of adult specimens (Zurita et al., 2008). Indeed, an analysis of ontogenetic variation would be useful for many species of glyptodonts from southern South America.