Armadillos Fossil range: Late Paleocene to Recent
Nine-banded Armadillo
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Superorder: Xenarthra Order: Cingulata Illiger, 1811
Families
†Pampatheriidae (prehistoric) †Glyptodontidae (prehistoric) Dasypodidae

Armadillos are small placental mammals, known for having a bony armor shell. The Paleocene or Palaeocene, "early dawn of the recent" is a geologic epoch that lasted from 65 The Nine-banded Long-nosed Armadillo or just Nine-banded Armadillo, Dasypus novemcinctus (also known as the poor man's Pig or poverty pig is a Chordates ( Phylum Chordata) are a group of Animals that includes the Vertebrates together with several closely related Invertebrates Mammals ( class Mammalia) are a class of Vertebrate Animals characterized by the presence of Sweat glands, including sweat glands The superorder Xenarthra is a group of Placental mammals (infraclass Eutheria extant today only in the Americas Johann Karl Wilhelm Illiger ( November 19, 1775 - May 1813 was a German Entomologist and Zoologist. Year 1811 ( MDCCCXI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year In Biological classification, family ( Latin Pampatheriidae (" Pampas beasts" is an ancient family now extinct, of large armadillo-like Plantigrade armored xenarthrans Glyptodonts were large more heavily-armored relatives of extinct pampatheres and modern Armadillos They first evolved during the Miocene in South The placenta is an Ephemeral organ present in placental Vertebrates, such as Eutherial Mammals and Sharks during Gestation Mammals ( class Mammalia) are a class of Vertebrate Animals characterized by the presence of Sweat glands, including sweat glands Armor (or armour) in animals is external or superficial protection against attack by predators formed as part of the body (rather than the behavioural use of protective external The Dasypodidae are the only surviving family in the order Cingulata, part of the superorder Xenarthra along with the anteaters and sloths. In Biological classification, family ( Latin This article is about the taxonomic rank for the sequence of species in a taxonomic list see Taxonomic order In scientific classification used The superorder Xenarthra is a group of Placental mammals (infraclass Eutheria extant today only in the Americas Anteaters are the four Mammal species of the suborder Vermilingua commonly known for eating Ants and Termites Together with the Sloths The living sloths comprise six Species of medium-sized Mammals that live in Central and South America belonging to the families The word armadillo is Spanish for "little armored one".

There are approximately 10 extant genera and around 20 extant species of armadillo, some of which are distinguished by the number of bands on their armor. Extant is a term commonly used to refer to Taxa (such as Species, genera or families) that are still in existence (living A genus (plural genera from Γένος Latin genus "descent family type gender" is a low-level Taxonomic In Biology, a species is one of the basic units of Biological classification and a Taxonomic rank. Their average length is about 75 centimeters (30 in), including tail; the Giant Armadillo grows up to 100 cm (39 in) and weigh 30 kg (66lbs), while the Pink Fairy Armadillos are diminutive species with an overall length of 12–15 cm (4–5 in). A centimetre ( American spelling: centimeter, symbol cm) is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one hundredth The Giant Armadillo, also variously Tatou, Ocarro, Tatu-canastra or Tatú Carreta, Priodontes maximus is the largest The Pink Fairy Armadillo ( Chlamyphorus truncatus) or Pichiciago is the smallest Species of Armadillo ( Mammals of the family All species are native to the Americas, where they inhabit a variety of environments. The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World, consisting of the Continents of North America and South America

In the United States, the sole resident armadillo is the Nine-banded Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus), which is most common in the central southernmost states, particularly Texas. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Nine-banded Long-nosed Armadillo or just Nine-banded Armadillo, Dasypus novemcinctus (also known as the poor man's Pig or poverty pig is a Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. Their range is as far east as Florida and as far north as Kansas, and while cold winters have slowed the expansion of their range (due to a lack of sufficient body fat), they have been consistently expanding their range over the last century due to a lack of natural predators and have been found as far as western Kentucky, and are expected to eventually reach Ohio before the cold winters inhibit their expansion. Florida ( is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the Kansas ( is a Midwestern state in the central region of the United States of America, an area often referred to as the American " The Commonwealth of Kentucky ( is a state located in the East Central United States of America. Ohio ( is a Midwestern state of the United States. As part of the Great Lakes region, Ohio has long been a cultural and geographical crossroads

Contents 1 Habitat and Anatomy 2 Classification 3 Armadillos and humans 3.1 In science 3.2 In American culture 4 Notes 5 References 6 External links

Habitat and Anatomy

Armadillos are prolific diggers. Many species use their sharp claws to dig for food, such as grubs, and to dig dens. The Nine-banded Armadillo prefers to build burrows in moist soil near the creeks, streams, and arroyos near which it lives and feeds. A burrow is a hole or tunnel dug into the ground by an Animal to create a space suitable for habitation temporary refuge or as a byproduct of locomotion An arroyo (literally brook in Spanish) also called a wash or draw, is a usually dry creek bed or Gulch that temporarily The diet of different armadillo species varies, but consists mainly of insects, grubs, and other invertebrates. Insects ( Class Insecta) are a major group of Arthropods and the most diverse group of Animals on the Earth with over a million described An invertebrate is an Animal lacking a Vertebral column. The group includes 98% of all animal Species — all animals except those in the Chordate Some species, however, are almost entirely formicivorous (feeding mainly on ants).

Armadillos have poor vision but are not blind.

The armor is formed by plates of dermal bone covered in relatively small, overlapping epidermal scales called "scutes", composed of bone with a covering of horn. In most species, there are rigid shields over the shoulders and hips, with a number of bands separated by flexible skin covering the back and flanks. Additional armor covers the top of the head, the upper parts of the limbs, and the tail. The underside of the animal is never armored, and is simply covered with soft skin and fur. ^[1]

This armor-like skin appears to be the main defense of many armadillos, although most escape predators by fleeing (often into thorny patches, from which their armor protects them) or digging to safety. Only the South American three-banded armadillos (Tolypeutes) rely heavily on their armor for protection. South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a When threatened by a predator, Tolypeutes species frequently roll up into a ball. (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 or fenders of passing vehicles. ^[2]

Armadillos have short legs but can move quite quickly, and have the ability to remain underwater for as long as six minutes. Because of the density of its armor, an armadillo will sink in water unless it inflates its stomach with air (an ability unique among mammals which allows it to swim across narrow bodies of water), which often doubles its size. ^[3]

Armadillos use their claws for digging and finding food, as well as for making their homes in burrows. They dig their burrows with their claws, only making a single corridor where they fit themselves. They have five clawed toes on the hindfeet, and three to five toes with heavy digging claws on the forefeet. Armadillos have a large number of cheek teeth, which are not divided into premolars and molars, but usually have incisors or canines. Molars are the rearmost and most complicated kind of Tooth in most Mammals In many mammals they grind food hence the Latin name mola, " Millstone Incisors (from Latin incidere, "to cut" are the first kind of Tooth in Heterodont Mammals They are located in the Premaxilla "Cuspid" redirects here For the heart valves see Bicuspid valve and Tricuspid valve.

Gestation lasts anything from 60 to 120 days, depending on species, although the nine-banded armadillo also exhibits delayed implantation, so that the young are not typically born for eight months after mating. Gestation is the carrying of an Embryo or Fetus inside a Female Viviparous Animal. Embryonic diapause or Delayed implantation is a reproductive strategy used by close to 100 different Mammals in seven different orders. Most members of the genus Dasypus give birth to four homozygous young (that is, identical quadruplets), but other species may have typical litter sizes that range from one to eight. Zygosity refers to the genetic condition of a Zygote. In genetics zygosity describes the similarity or dissimilarity of DNA between Homologous The young are born with soft leathery skin, which hardens within a few weeks, and reach sexual maturity in 3-12 months, depending on the species. Armadillos are solitary animals, that do not share their burrows with other adults. ^[1]

Classification

Order CINGULATA

• †Family Pampatheriidae: giant armadillos
  • Genus †Machlydotherium
  • Genus †Kraglievichia
  • Genus †Vassallia
  • Genus †Plaina
  • Genus †Scirrotherium
  • Genus †Pampatherium
  • Genus †Holmesina
• †Family Glyptodontidae: glyptodonts
  • Genus †Glyptodon
  • Genus †Doedicurus
  • Genus †Hoplophorus
  • Genus †Panochthus
  • Genus †Parapropalaehoplophorus
  • Genus †Plaxhaplous
• Family Dasypodidae: armadillos
  • Subfamily Dasypodinae
    • Genus Dasypus
      • 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
      • †Beautiful Armadillo, Dasypus bellus
  • Subfamily Euphractinae
    • Genus Calyptophractus
      • Greater Fairy Armadillo, Calyptophractus retusus
    • Genus Chaetophractus
      • Screaming Hairy Armadillo, Chaetophractus vellerosus
      • Big Hairy Armadillo, Chaetophractus villosus
      • Andean Hairy Armadillo, Chaetophractus nationi
    • Genus †Peltephilus
      • Horned Armadillo, Peltephilus ferox

• • • Genus Chlamyphorus
      • Pink Fairy Armadillo, Chlamyphorus truncatus
    • Genus Euphractus
      • Six-banded Armadillo, Euphractus sexcinctus
    • Genus Zaedyus
      • Pichi, Zaedyus pichiy
  • Subfamily Tolypeutinae
    • Genus Cabassous
      • Northern Naked-tailed Armadillo, Cabassous centralis
      • Chacoan Naked-tailed Armadillo, Cabassous chacoensis
      • Southern Naked-tailed Armadillo, Cabassous unicinctus
      • Greater Naked-tailed Armadillo, Cabassous tatouay
    • Genus Priodontes
      • Giant Armadillo, Priodontes maximus
    • Genus Tolypeutes
      • Southern Three-banded Armadillo, Tolypeutes matacus
      • Brazilian Three-banded Armadillo, Tolypeutes tricinctus

† indicates extinct taxon

Armadillos and humans

In 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. Pampatheriidae (" Pampas beasts" is an ancient family now extinct, of large armadillo-like Plantigrade armored xenarthrans Glyptodonts were large more heavily-armored relatives of extinct pampatheres and modern Armadillos They first evolved during the Miocene in South Glyptodon (Greek for "grooved or carved tooth" was a large armored Mammal, related to the Armadillo, that lived during the Pleistocene Doedicurus clavicaudatus was a prehistoric Glyptodont, living during the Pleistocene until the end of the Last ice age, some 11 000 years There is only one species of Hoplophorus: H euphractus. It is a species of glyptodont, a kind of ancient Armadillo. Panochthus is an extinct genus of Glyptodont. Sources Dinosaur Encyclopedia by Jayne Parsons Parapropalaehoplophorus septentrionalis was a relatively small (compared to say Glyptodon) species of Glyptodont, extinct relatives of Armadillos are small Placental Mammals known for having a leathery armor shell UserPolbot. --> Dasypus is a genus of Armadillo in the Dasypodidae family UserPolbot. --> Dasypus is a genus of Armadillo in the Dasypodidae family The Nine-banded Long-nosed Armadillo or just Nine-banded Armadillo, Dasypus novemcinctus (also known as the poor man's Pig or poverty pig is a Seven-banded Long-nosed Armadillo or just Seven-banded Armadillo, Dasypus septemcinctus, is a Species of Armadillo from South America Southern Long-nosed Armadillo, Dasypus hybridus, is an Armadillo Species from South America. The Llanos Long-nosed Armadillo ( Dasypus sabanicola) is a species of Armadillo in the Dasypodidae family The Great Long-nosed Armadillo, Dasypus kappleri, is a Species of Armadillo from South America. UserPolbot. --> The Hairy Long-nosed Armadillo ( Dasypus pilosus) is a species of Armadillo in the UserPolbot. --> The Greater Fairy Armadillo ( Calyptophractus retusus) also known as Burmeister's Armadillo UserPolbot. --> The Greater Fairy Armadillo ( Calyptophractus retusus) also known as Burmeister's Armadillo UserPolbot. --> Chaetophractus is a genus of Armadillo in the Dasypodidae family UserPolbot. --> The Screaming Hairy Armadillo ( Chaetophractus vellerosus) is a species of Armadillo UserPolbot. --> The Big Hairy Armadillo ( Chaetophractus villosus) is a species of Armadillo in the The Andean Hairy Armadillo ( Chaetophractus nationi) is an Armadillo present in Bolivia, in the region of the Puna the departments of Oruro La Paz and Peltephilus ferox, the Horned Armadillo, was a species of dog-sized Armadillo -like Xenarthran Mammal which first inhabited Argentina The Pink Fairy Armadillo ( Chlamyphorus truncatus) or Pichiciago is the smallest Species of Armadillo ( Mammals of the family The Pink Fairy Armadillo ( Chlamyphorus truncatus) or Pichiciago is the smallest Species of Armadillo ( Mammals of the family The Pink Fairy Armadillo ( Chlamyphorus truncatus) or Pichiciago is the smallest Species of Armadillo ( Mammals of the family The Six-banded Armadillo ( Euphractus sexcinctus) also known as the Yellow Armadillo, is a Species of Armadillo from South America The Six-banded Armadillo ( Euphractus sexcinctus) also known as the Yellow Armadillo, is a Species of Armadillo from South America The Pichi ( Zaedyus pichiy) or Dwarf Armadillo is a small armadillo that is the only member the genus Zaedyus. The Pichi ( Zaedyus pichiy) or Dwarf Armadillo is a small armadillo that is the only member the genus Zaedyus. Tolypeutinae is a subfamily of Armadillo in the Dasypodidae family UserPolbot. --> Cabassous is a genus of Armadillo in the Dasypodidae family The Northern Naked-tailed Armadillo ( Cabassous centralis) is a species of Armadillo. UserPolbot. --> The Chacoan Naked-tailed Armadillo ( Cabassous chacoensis) is a species of Armadillo The Southern Naked-tailed Armadillo, Cabassous unicinctus, is a small Species of Armadillo from South America. The Greater Naked-tailed Armadillo, Cabassous tatouay, is an Armadillo Species from South America. The Giant Armadillo, also variously Tatou, Ocarro, Tatu-canastra or Tatú Carreta, Priodontes maximus is the largest The Giant Armadillo, also variously Tatou, Ocarro, Tatu-canastra or Tatú Carreta, Priodontes maximus is the largest The genus Tolypeutes contains the two species of three-banded Armadillos They are restricted to South America, mostly Brazil. The Southern Three-banded Armadillo ( Tolypeutes matacus) also called the La Plata Three-Banded Armadillo, is an Armadillo species from South The Brazilian Three-banded Armadillo, Tolypeutes tricinctus, is an Armadillo Species endemic to Brazil. Leprosy (from the Greek lepi (λέπι meaning scales on a fish or Hansen's disease, is a chronic disease caused by the bacterium A monkey is any member of either the New World monkeys or Old World monkeys two of the three groupings of Simian Primates the third group being Rabbits are small Mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world A mouse (plural mice) is a small Animal that belongs to one They are particularly susceptible due to their unusually low body temperature, which is hospitable to the leprosy bacterium. Mycobacterium leprae, also known as Hansen’s bacillus, mostly found in warm tropical countries is the Bacterium that causes Leprosy (Hansen's

The Nine-banded Armadillo also serves science through its unusual reproductive system, in which four genetically identical quadruplets are born in each litter. The Nine-banded Long-nosed Armadillo or just Nine-banded Armadillo, Dasypus novemcinctus (also known as the poor man's Pig or poverty pig is a Reproduction is the Biological process by which new individual Organisms are produced Genetics (from Ancient Greek grc-Latn genetikos, “genitive” and that from grc-Latn genesis, “origin” a discipline of Biology, is A multiple birth occurs when more than one Fetus is carried to term in a single Pregnancy. ^{[4] [5] [6]} Because they are always genetically identical, the group of four young provides a good subject for scientific, behavioral or medical tests that need consistent biological and genetic makeup in the test subjects. This is the only manifestation of polyembryony in the class mammalia, and only exists within the genus Dasypus and not in all armadillos, as is commonly believed. Polyembryony is the phenomenon of two or more Embryos developing from a single fertilized egg (in humans Identical twins) Mammals ( class Mammalia) are a class of Vertebrate Animals characterized by the presence of Sweat glands, including sweat glands UserPolbot. --> Dasypus is a genus of Armadillo in the Dasypodidae family Other species which display this trait include parasitoid wasps, certain flatworms and various aquatic invertebrates. ^[5]

Armadillos (mainly Dasypus) make common roadkill due to their habit of jumping to about fender height when startled (such as by an oncoming car). Fender is the US English term for the part of an Automobile, Motorcycle or other Vehicle body that frames a wheel well Wildlife enthusiasts are using the northward march of the armadillo as an opportunity to educate others about the animals, which can be a burrowing nuisance to property owners and managers. ^[4]

In American culture

During the Great Depression, this species was known as "Hoover Hog" by down-on-their luck Americans who had to eat them instead of the "chicken in every pot" Herbert Hoover had promised as President. Herbert Clark Hoover (August 10 1874 &ndash October 20 1964 was the thirty-first President of the United States (1929–1933 ^[7] Earlier, German settlers in Texas would often refer to the armadillo as Panzerschwein ("armored pig"). Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. In 1995, The Nine-banded Armadillo was, with some resistance, made the state small mammal of Texas,^[8] where it is considered a pest and is often seen dead on the roadside. They first forayed into Texas across the Rio Grande from Mexico in the 1800s, eventually spreading across the southeast United States. ^[7]

Notes

References

• Gardner, Alfred (November 16, 2005). in Wilson, D. E. , and Reeder, D. M. (eds): Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition, Johns Hopkins University Press, 94-99. ISBN 0-801-88221-4.  

External links

• Photographs of armadillo rolling into a ball

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