Asterostemma depressa

Asterostemma is an extinct genus of glyptodont. It lived during the Middle Miocene, and its fossilized remains were discovered in South America.

Description
Like all its close relatives, Asterostemma had a carapace made of fused osteoderms, protecting most of its body. The ornamentation of its osteoderms was similar to other basal genera of glyptodonts, such as Propalaehoplophorus, with clear and shallow furrows, and the central figures were rounded. Those were surrounded by a single row of peripheral figures. The caudal cuirass of Asterostemma was formed by rings and a caudal tube, forming a long and thin structure, similar to those of modern armadillos.

Classification
Asterostemma depressa was first described by Florentino Ameghino in 1889, based on fossil remains found in Middle Miocene terrains of Argentina. Other species attributed to this genus, such as A. acostae, A. gigantea, and A. venezolensis ; subsequent revisions of the fossil remains determined that the latter species belonged to a distinct genus of glyptodont, Boreostemma.