Euphractinae Explained

Euphractinae is an armadillo subfamily in the family Chlamyphoridae.

Euphractinae are known for having a well developed osteoderm that has large cavities filled with adipose tissue, and more hair follicles with well developed sebaceous glands in comparison to the Dasypodidae sub family. These are believed to be evolutionary adaptations in the Euphractinae to support it in the cooler climate that it usually lives in.^[1]

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Taxonomy

It contains the following genera:

• Chaetophractus, hairy armadillos
• Euphractus, six-banded armadillos
• Zaedyus, pichis

Extinct genera include:^[2]

• Paleuphractus
• Doellotatus
• Proeuphractus
• Macroeuphractus

Phylogeny

A mitochondrial DNA investigation has concluded that Euphractinae is the sister group of a clade consisting of Chlamyphorinae (fairy armadillos) and Tolypeutinae (giant, three-banded and naked-tailed armadillos)^[3] along with extinct glyptodonts,^[4] as shown below.

Notes and References

1. Krmpotic. C.M.. Ciancio. M.R.. Barbeito. C.. Mario. R.C.. Carlini. A.A.. Osteoderm morphology in recent and fossil euphractine xenarthrans. Acta Zoologica. 2009 . 90. 4 . 339–351. 10.1111/j.1463-6395.2008.00359.x .
2. Mitchell . Kieren J. . Scanferla . Agustin . Soibelzon . Esteban . Bonini . Ricardo . Ochoa . Javier . Cooper . Alan . 2016 . Ancient DNA from the extinct South American giant glyptodont Doedicurus sp. (Xenarthra: Glyptodontidae) reveals that glyptodonts evolved from Eocene armadillos . Molecular Ecology . 25 . 14. 3499–3508 . 10.1111/mec.13695 . 27158910. 3720645 . 11336/48521 . free .
3. Gibb. G. C.. Condamine. F. L.. Kuch. M.. Enk. J.. Moraes-Barros. N.. Superina. M.. Poinar. H. N.. Delsuc. F.. Shotgun Mitogenomics Provides a Reference Phylogenetic Framework and Timescale for Living Xenarthrans. Molecular Biology and Evolution. 33. 3. 2015-11-09. 621–642. 10.1093/molbev/msv250. 26556496. 4760074.
4. Delsuc. F.. Gibb. G. C.. Kuch. M. . Billet. G.. Hautier. L.. Southon. J.. Rouillard. J.-M.. Fernicola. J. C.. Vizcaíno. S. F.. MacPhee. R. D. E.. Poinar. H. N.. The phylogenetic affinities of the extinct glyptodonts. Current Biology. 26. 4. 2016-02-22. R155–R156. 10.1016/j.cub.2016.01.039. 26906483. free. 11336/49579. free.