Xenarthra from the South: Evolution, Natural History, and Conservation Challenges in a Changing World

Xenarthrans constitute one of the most distinctive mammalian clades, with an evolutionary history deeply rooted in South America and a present-day distribution extending across South, Central, and North America, reflecting both ancient diversification and recent environmental pressures. Despite their scientific relevance across paleontology, evolutionary biology, ecology, and conservation science, research on xenarthrans often remains fragmented across disciplines and geographic communities.This Research Topic aims to integrate deep-time perspectives with contemporary ecological and conservation challenges, positioning xenarthrans as a model system to understand persistence, adaptation, and biodiversity resilience in a rapidly changing world. By fostering dialogue among researchers from the Global South and beyond, we seek to promote interdisciplinary and geographically inclusive approaches that strengthen both scientific knowledge and conservation strategies.We especially welcome contributions that address, but are not limited to, the following themes:• Fossil record, phylogenetic relationships, and macroevolutionary patterns within Xenarthra• Functional morphology and anatomy, dermal armor, adaptations to fossorial life• Evolutionary history, diversification, biogeography and systematics of xenarthrans, with particular attention to Cingulata (armadillos and glyptodonts)• Ecology, behavior, and natural history• Conservation challenges, management strategies, and human–xenarthran interactions across the Americas, including but not limited to Neotropical ecosystems. Topic editors: Esteban Soibelzon, Kleberson Porpino, Sebastián Tambusso Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/79205/xenarthra-from-the-south-evolution-natural-history-and-conservation-challenges-in-a-changing-world