Cingulate phylogeny 2026

Casali et al 2026 reported,
“Cingulata, a major lineage of Xenarthra, comprises extinct and extant armoured placental mammals that diversified throughout the Cenozoic. Here we integrate the largest morphological dataset for cingulates with molecular and stratigraphic data to infer their phylogeny, divergence times, and diversification dynamics.”

That’s a laudable goal. Question is: Can they do it without stumbling over out-dated traditions supported by university textbooks – and without cherry-picking out-group taxa?

“Results support the monophyly of Cingulata (extinct and extant armored placental mammals) and recover two main clades, Paracingulata and Eucingulata.”

These last two appear to be newly named clades.

Figure 1. Tiny pholidocercus is a traditonal extinct hedgehog relative. Earlier it nested with Glyptodon. Now it nests with Holmesina, a large extinct armadillo with an inflexible carapace. ” data-image-caption=”

Figure 1. Tiny pholidocercus is a traditonal extinct hedgehog relative. Earlier it nested with Glyptodon. Now it nests with Holmesina, a large extinct armadillo with an inflexible carapace.

” data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/pholidocercus-insitu588.jpg?w=584″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/pholidocercus-insitu588.jpg?w=584″ alt=”Figure 1. Tiny pholidocercus is a traditonal extinct hedgehog relative. Earlier it nested with Glyptodon. Now it nests with Holmesina, a large extinct armadillo with an inflexible carapace.” class=”wp-image-93909″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/pholidocercus-insitu588.jpg?w=584 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/pholidocercus-insitu588.jpg?w=126 126w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/pholidocercus-insitu588.jpg?w=252 252w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/pholidocercus-insitu588.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />

According to the authors,
Eucingulata incudes nine-banded armadillos and pink fairy armadillos.
Paracingulata includes six-banded armadillos and glyptodonts + pampatheres, like Holmesina (Fig 1).

Off topic(?) in this paper: Pilosa includes anteaters (Fig 2) and sloths.

The previous dichotomy split the Cingulata into Dasypodidae ( = Dasypus the extant nine-banded armadillo) and all other clade members = Chlamyphoridae (= Chlamyphorus, the pink fairy armadillo, Glyptodon and several other extinct taxa).

The authors reported,
“To reassess the phylogenetic relationships of Cingulata, we compiled the largest morphological matrix for the group to data.”

Unfortunately, the authors did not first compile the widest morphological matrix for the group, something to match or exceed the large reptile tree (LRT, 2340 taxa). By focusing in before focusing on their clade of interest the authors did not understand that the armor that appeared on basal members (Fig 1) had a tendency to disappear when no longer needed in sloths and anteaters – by convergence.

The authors reported,
“The didelphid, Didelphis, was employed as the operational outgroup. Four additional outgroups were also included, Asioryctes, Ukhaatherium (two tiny Cretaceous marsupials) Tamandua (an anteater, Fig 2)and Hapalops (a giant sloth).”

This is not the way to ’employ‘ = cherry-pick outgroup taxa. In the LRT, Pholidocercus (Fig 1), is the semi-armored proximal outgroup to the Xenarthra. More primitively the extant moonrat, Echinosorex, and two extinct moonrats, Deinogalerix and Anagale, nest basal to Pholidocercus and fully armored Holmesina, the last common ancestor of all Xenarthra in the LRT.

The LRT dichotomy splits armored Glyptodon + naked Barylambda (Fig 3) + all naked sloths – nesting apart from – the armored fairy armadillos, then the armored clade of Dasypus + Epoicotherium, then the armored clade of pangolins, then the naked clade of anteaters (Fig 2).

That means
two taxa selected by Casali et al as outgroup taxa (Tamandua and Hapalops) nest as ingroup taxa in the LRT.

That’s the sort of phylogenetic trouble you can get into when you cherry-pick outgroup taxa and do not understand the actual breadth of your ingroup taxa.

When authors use the superlative term
‘largest to date’ – don’t trust them. They don’t want you to trust them.

This science. Scientists want you to test their work. They want you to tell them their cladogram might have depth, but not width in this case. That’s all part of the process: the scientific method.

Figure 1. Barylambda looks like a large ground sloth for good reason. It is a sister to the direct ancestor and nests at the base of the Xenarthra along with Orycteropus, the aardvark. ” data-image-caption=”

Figure 1. Barylambda looks like a large ground sloth for good reason. It is a sister to the direct ancestor and nests at the base of the Xenarthra along with Orycteropus, the aardvark.

” data-large-file=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/barylambda_faberi588.jpg?w=584″ src=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/barylambda_faberi588.jpg?w=584″ alt=”Figure 1. Barylambda looks like a large ground sloth for good reason. It is a sister to the direct ancestor and nests at the base of the Xenarthra along with Orycteropus, the aardvark.” class=”wp-image-24107″ srcset=”https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/barylambda_faberi588.jpg?w=584 584w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/barylambda_faberi588.jpg?w=111 111w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/barylambda_faberi588.jpg?w=221 221w, https://pterosaurheresies.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/barylambda_faberi588.jpg 588w” sizes=”(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px” />

Phylogenetic width must come first.
That way your cladogram can tell you which taxa are suitable and relevant outgroup taxa. You won’t have to throw a dart = cherry-pick some irrelevant outgroup taxa. And you won’t make the mistake of pre-selecting outgroup taxa that are really in-group taxa.

Mistakes like this should not happen in 2026. Check the LRT on your way to submitting your next manuscript. It is online, free and no credit need be cited.

Just don’t delete relevant taxa – still the number one problem in paleontology in 2026.

And don’t even bother with molecular data. If you are a paleontologist, use only traits.

As I just found out,
Xenarthra (Cope 1889) is now a junior synonym for Cingulata (Illiger 1811) – if LRT results can be tested and supported with a similar taxon list.

This is science. Test the LRT with a similar taxon list.

References
Casali DM (7 co-authors) 2026. Unraveling the phylogeny of armadillos and their kin (Mammalia, Xenarthra, Cingulata) combining morphological, molecular, and stratigraphic data. Cladistics 2026:1–36.

wiki/Cingulata