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Dasypus novemcinctus

(Armadillo)

Overview

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Armadillos share common ancestry with glyptodonts as members of the Cingulata or armored Edentates . Armadillos are protected by jointed bands of scutes that in some species are fused into bony sheaths covering the shoulders , hips , and head . They can also escape from enemies by swimming or quickly burying themselves. Although one extinct South American species rivalled glyptodonts in size, most living armadillo species are about this size or smaller. Having only simple peg teeth, they eat soft foods, foraging for insects, worms, or carrion at ground level. Rather primitive mammals, armadillos have a low body temperature subject to fluctuations of 15-20 decrees in response to environmental conditions . Current distributed from Patagonia to Texas, they continue to extend their rang northward.

Interesting Facts

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Common Names

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Click on the language to view common names.

Common Names in Dutch:

Negenbandig gordeldier

Common Names in English:

Armadillo, Common Long-nosed Armadillo, long-nosed armadillo, nine-banded armadillo

Common Names in Russian:

Броненосец девятипоясный

Common Names in Spanish:

Cachicamo, Armadillo nueve bandas, Tat?

Description

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Physical Description

Species Dasypus novemcinctus

This mammal is covered in bony plates , called scutes , that serve as protection against predators . This body armor hangs down on each side of the body, and is divided into flexible bands across the animal's back. Body shape is oval and brownish in color, with a long tapering tail which is also covered in scutes. The head is long and slender, with a pointed snout and large ears. The teeth are simple pegs. The front feet have large, thick, sharp claws which are used for burrowing and digging up food.

The nine-banded armadillo is a cat-sized mammal that is covered with a scaled shell , or carapace, that protects it from predators. It ranges in color from brownish-black to grey, with yellowish white hair on its underside. The carapace is constructed of tough, leathery skin and dermal plates on its back, head, tail, and sides. The nine-banded armadillo has nine jointed bands across its midsection which allow for flexibility in movement. This armadillo ranges in size from 15-17 inches in length , with a ringed tail that measures between 14-16 inches long. The nine-banded armadillo has four toes on each of its front feet and five toes on each of its hind feet. It also has strong claws for digging and burrowing. The armadillo has a small head with long ears and a pointed snout that it uses to forage for food.

Color:

Ears, tail base , neck, legs , and belly are covered in a sparse yellowish white hair. Horny "armor" is brownish.

Size/Age/Growth

Adults of the nine-banded armadillo usually measure about three feet in length and weigh about 10 to 17 pounds . By comparison, one South American form may be more than four feet long and weigh at least 100 pounds.[1]

About the size of an Opossum or a House Cat, 62 - 80 cm (24.2 - 31.2 in) in total length.

Habitat

Inhabits forests , scrub , and brushlands , but is most abundant in moist, bottomland hardwood forests. The Armadillo digs burrows for nesting and for protection during the day.

Typically found at an altitude of 0 to 3,432 meters (0 to 11,260 feet).[2]

Ecology: It is very adaptable and is present in a variety of habitats (McBee and Baker 1982). It has a high rate of reproduction , and commonly produces quadruplets.[3].

List of Habitats:

[more info]

Biology

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Diet

Armadillos are powerful diggers and prefer areas of loose soil, where they can excavate numerous burrows for shelter . Some of their favorite food items are obtained while digging and include insects, worms, centipedes, and other invertebrates . Snakes , lizards, carrion , and vegetable matter are also part of their diet . Armadillos actively root for food on the surface as well, and are often oblivious to the presence of humans when hunting a meal .[1]

When foraging , an Armadillo moves under the cover of shrubs and dense vegetation in an erratic and random pattern . It uses a keen sense of smell to locate prey 12.7 - 15.2 cm (5 - 6 in) beneath the soil. The majority of its diet consists of insects, grubs , and worms, but some fruits, bird eggs , and small vertebrates have been recorded.

Reproduction

Typically female armadillos mate with only one male and they may even share a den during the mating season . Reproduction in the armadillo is characterized by a period of delayed implantation. The embryo does not implant until 14 weeks after fertilization has occurred. Approximately 4 months later, the female armadillo gives birth to four identical young who are born fully developed and with their eyes open. The young are able to walk within a few hours after birth and can begin to forage with their mother in just a few weeks. The skin of newborn armadillos is soft at birth, but hardens as they grow older. They continue to nurse for about two months and may stay with their mother for several months afterwards. Armadillos reach sexual maturity at about one year of age.

Armadillos have two unique reproductive characteristics. The first is delayed fertilization. Although Armadillos breed in July or August, the eggs are not fertilized immediately, and the young are not born until the following March or April. The second is that because of a phenomenon called polyembryony , a litter of young Armadillos almost always includes 4 identical young of the same sex. The young are born with their eyes open. Within a few hours of birth, they are walking about the underground nest of dried leaves and grasses. They accompany the female on foraging trips outside the burrow within a few weeks, and are weaned at two months of age. Young remain with the female until she breeds again in late summer. Sexual maturity is reached at one year of age.

Young armadillos are born in the spring and are able to forage within hours of birth. Juvenile armadillos remain around the den with the mother until autumn, then disperse.[1]

Behavior

The Armadillo is basically crepuscular and nocturnal , but may be active on cloudy days. Burrows can be from 1.2 - 7.3 m (4 - 24 ft ) in length and 0.5 m (20 in) deep, and have several entrances, with a nesting chamber at the very end stuffed full of dried leaves and grasses.

An Armadillo may look slow but can move with great speed for short distances when frightened. It also has the uncanny ability to jump straight up in the air when startled before hitting the ground at a trot. This unusual behavior has made it more susceptible to automobile fatalities because it tends to jump up into the oncoming bumper of a vehicle rather than being straddled and spared. An Armadillo is a good swimmer and has been observed to walk across the bottom of small bodies of water. It can remain submerged for up to six minutes. It has poor eyesight and can be approached closely by a quiet observer . Armadillos have few predators , although both the Mountain lion and the American Alligator are capable of eating adults . The average lifespan of an Armadillo is about four years.

Armadillos build dens uderground to sleep in. They will often share their dens with other armadillos as well as with other animals, such as skunks, rabbits, and oppossums. Armadillos are not territorial . Armadillos are mostly nocturnal and use their specialized hearing and smell to make their way around after dark.

Taxonomy

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Last Revised: 2012-05-02