Glyptodont Scute
Glyptotherium floridanum
Markings and exact colorations may vary.
A hexagonal plate of armour from a car-sized Ice Age armadillo relative.
- Typical size
- 1–3 in across
- How often it turns up
- Uncommon
- Collecting
- Archaeological, leave in place
- Handling
- Safe to handle
Vertebrate fossils collected from state-owned land or submerged bottoms in Florida require a fossil permit from the Florida Museum of Natural History. Beach-washed finds above the waterline are generally fine, but know your site.
How to tell it apart
- Hexagonal or rosette outline
- Pitted, patterned surface
- Thick, spongy bone interior
Where to find these in Florida
Beaches rated very good or excellent for fossils. Each page shows today’s score, the best window and access details.
- Caspersen Beach · Venice
- Englewood Beach (Chadwick Park) · Englewood
- Stump Pass Beach State Park · Englewood
- Turner Beach · Captiva
- Turtle Beach · Siesta Key
Found one?
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More fossils in the field guide
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