glyptics (gliptiks)

[Pl. of glyptic: see-ics.] The art of carving or engraving. The word is applied especially to engraving on gems or hard stones, now performed with diamond-powder and diamond-pointed instruments; also to the cutting of designs upon such ani mal substances as shells, coral, and ivory, and such vegetable products as box, ebony, and other hard woods. glyptodipterine (glip-to-dip'te-rin), a. and n. I. a. Pertaining to the Glyptodipterini. II. n. One of the Glyptodipterini . Glyptodipterini (glip-to-dip-te-ri'ni), n. pl . [NL., γλυπτός , carved, + δίπτερος , having two wings: see dipterous .] In Huxley's system of cla ification, a group of Devonian ganoid fishes, of the suborder Cro opterygidi . Its technical characters are: two dorsal fins placed far back opposite the two ventrals, acutely lobate pectorals, and dendrodont dentition. It is divided into those with rhomboid and those with cycloid scales, respectively represented by such genera as Glyptolæma and Holoptychius. Glyptodon (glip'to-don), n. [NL. (so named from its fluted teeth), + ὁδούς (όδοντ-) = E. tooth.] 1. The typical and best-known genus of the family Glypto dontida; the long-tailed fo il armadillosorglyptodons, with 5 toes on the hind feet and 4 on the fore, the fifth digit of which is Glyptodon ( Glyptodon clavipes). wanting. Species are G. clavipes and G. ret i culatus, from the Pleistocene of South America.-2. [l. c.] An animal of the family Glyp todontidæ or Hoplophoride; one of the gigantic fo il armadillos of South America. They are all distinguished from the living armadillos not only by their superior size, but by having the carapace composed of a single solid piece without movable segments, and also by po e ing a ventral shield or plastron. The superficial 2552 resemblance to tortoises is striking; the feet are like those of some turtles, and, as in chelonians, the head could be withdrawn into the shell, though the rest of the vertebral species rather numerous. column is a solid tube. The genera are several and the glyptodont (glip'to-dont), a. and n. [ II. n. A glyptodon. Also glyptodontine.