The Modern Forgery Hypothesis

[Legit]

Anyway, here are my point-point-comparisons to a particular armadillo illustration: The Gesner armadillo. This particular one not only has the most number of comparable points (pointy ears, upturned snout, but also one very particular feature of both is the same: The scales are drawn backwards:

Armadillos don't have scales like that.

   

The artist here doesn't seem to know the difference either and has unfortunately drawn the scales of a pangolin on two creatures.  Is this hubris, or deliberately meant to mislead us?

   

Here's a pangolin from India with it's scaly hide.

   
Here is an armadillo compared with a fish.  You see, a pangolin has overlapping scales like a fish, but an armadillo does not.  The armadillo pectoral shield, banded shield and pelvic shield were drawn correctly by other medieval artists.

   

Medieval artists didn't just draw a bunch of scales and call it an armadillo.  Here you can see a clear separation between it's pectoral shield, banded shield and pelvic shield.

   

The obvious interpretation is that it's meant to be another dragon, and not the great sleeping armadillo that lays over the heavens.