caused by large, blunt objects. This can be understood as the natural structure evolved to withstand blunt impact from large objects such as tail-clubs and not as protection against sharp objects such as teeth. This presents further evidence for the theory that glyptodonts used their carapaces for intraspecific combat using tail clubs as well as defense. Disease and pathologies A partial postcranial skeleton of Glyptotherium cylindricum found in northeastern Brazil that included partial limbs preserved 3 different types of arthritis: one type of inflammatory arthritis (spondyloarthropathy), one type of crystalline arthritis (calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease) and one proliferative arthritis (osteoarthritis). Spondyloarthropathy was the most prevalent, with bone erosion on the right ulna, right and left radii, a left femur and both right and left tibiae-fibulae and is associated with bone sclerosis on the right ulna and radius. Calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease is present on the articular surface of the left patella and osteoarthritis is represented by osteophytes on some of the left hindlimb. On several osteoderms that were also found in Brazil, ectoparasitism, lesions, and growths were found, some of these infections were likely caused by fleas. Paleoecology Glyptotherium was primarily a grazer in forested grasslands and arboreal savannahs, though they may have preferred grasslands near water sources based on fossils from Mexico. Due to their wide distribution, Glyptotherium’s paleoecology may have varied across regions and its 2 species. Fossils from Guatemala were found from high altitudes, showing that Glyptotherium was highly adaptable and could live in a variation of environments. This is supported by the generalist diet of Glyptotherium and fossil's discoveries in tropical, subtropical, forested, and even semi-aquatic environments. In the Mexican state of Yucatan, fossils of Glyptotherium and the ground sloth Paramylodon are known from water-rich areas like riparian forests and swamps as opposed to open grasslands. In North America, Glyptotherium is known from 2 different species that lived in 3 different intervals, the Blancan, Irvingtonian, and Rancholabrean, across several US states and Mexico. During the Blancan, Glyptotherium texanum coexisted with many native genera from North America, as Beringia hadn't yet formed. Because of this, the fauna of the Blancan starkly contrasted with the fauna of the Pleistocene and Holocene. The Blancan age strata of western Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona preserves the gomphothere proboscideans Stegomastodon and Cuvieronius, equids represented by grazers like Nannipus and Equus. Other xenarthrans are also known, like the megalonychid ground sloth Megalonyx