armadillo - Habitat and physiology, Armadillos and science, Armadillos and humans, Trivia

A nocturnal mammal (an edentate), found from South America to S USA; long snout and tubular ears; head and body covered with bony plates; large front claws for digging; eats ants, termites, and other small animals. (Family: Dasypodidae, 20 species.)

iArmadillos
Nine-banded Armadillo
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Superorder: Xenarthra Order: Cingulata Illiger, 1811 Family: Dasypodidae Gray, 1821
Genera
Dasypus Jaspyrus Calyptophractus Chaetophractus Chlamyphorus Euphractus Zaedyus Cabassous Priodontes Tolypeutes Glyptodontidae (extinct)

Armadillos are small placental mammals of the family Dasypodidae, known for having a bony armor shell. In the United States, the sole resident armadillo is the Nine-banded Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus), which is most common in the central southern states, particularly Texas.

Habitat and physiology

Armadillos are prolific diggers, and many species use their sharp claws to dig for food such as grubs, and to dig dens.

Armadillos have poor vision but are not blind. (Other armadillo species cannot roll up because they have too many plates.) The North American Nine-banded Armadillo tends to jump straight in the air when surprised, and consequently often collides with the undercarriage of passing vehicles.

Armadillos and science

Armadillos are often used in the study of leprosy, since they, along with mangabey monkeys, rabbits and mice (on their footpads), are among the few known non-human animal species that can contract the disease systemically.

The Nine-banded Armadillo also serves science through its unusual reproductive system, in which four identical quadruplets (all the same sex) are born in each clutch.

Armadillos and humans

The armadillo was, with some resistance, made the state small mammal of Texas, where it is considered a pest and is often seen dead on the roadside.

Armadillos can be kept as pets, although they require moist ground in which to dig and catch insects.

Wildlife enthusiasts are using the northward march of the armadillo as an opportunity to educate others about the animals, which during the Great Depression were known as "Hoover Hogs" by down-on-their luck Americans who had to eat them instead of the "chicken in every pot" Herbert Hoover had promised as President.

Order Cingulata

Family Pampatheriidae: giant armadillos (extinct) Family Glyptodontidae (extinct) Glyptodon (extinct) Family Dasypodidae: armadillos Pink Fairy Armadillo, Chlamyphorus truncatus Pichiciego, Chlamyphorus retusus Northern Naked-tailed Armadillo, Cabassous centralis Chacoan Naked-tailed Armadillo, Cabassous chacoensis Southern Naked-tailed Armadillo, Cabassous unicinctus Greater Naked-tailed Armadillo, Cabassous tatouay Little Hairy Armadillo or Screaming Hairy armadillo, Chaetophractus vellerosus Hairy Armadillo, Chaetophractus villosus Andean Hairy Armadillo, Chaetophractus nationi Nine-banded Armadillo or Long-nosed Armadillo, Dasypus novemcinctus Seven-banded Armadillo, Dasypus septemcinctus Southern Long-nosed Armadillo, Dasypus hybridus Llanos Long-nosed Armadillo, Dasypus sabanicola Great Long-nosed Armadillo, Dasypus kappleri Hairy Long-nosed Armadillo, Dasypus pilosus Six-banded Armadillo or Yellow Armadillo, Euphractus sexcinctus Giant Armadillo or Tatou, Priodontes maximus Southern Three-banded Armadillo, Tolypeutes matacus Brazilian Three-banded Armadillo, Tolypeutes tricinctus Pichi or Dwarf Armadillo, Zaedyus pichiy

Trivia

In the Joe R. An unused potential character from the video game Sonic the Hedgehog was an armadillo, Mighty the Armadillo.