Most members of the genus Dasypus give birth to four monozygotic young (that is, identical quadruplets), but other species may have typical litter sizes that range from one to eight. 1-5 Armadillo Facts 1. Others have black, red, gray, or yellowish coloring. Armadillos are the only living mammals that wear such shells. Closely related to anteaters and sloths, armadillos generally have a pointy or shovel-shaped snout and small eyes. Armadillos are in the Cingulata, an order of New World placental mammals. The familiar nine-banded armadillo is the only species that includes the United States in its range. they always have id. The living ones have a leathery armored shell. When threatened by a predator, Tolypeutes species frequently roll up into a ball. Armadillos are like mammals and give birth to young ones and wean them with milk like any other mammals. Armadillos live in temperate and warm habitats, including rain forests, grasslands, and semi-deserts. Armadillos have short legs, but can move quite quickly. Armadillos are usually brownish black, marked with yellow above and yellowish white underneath. © 1996-2015 National Geographic Society, © 2015- Contrary to popular belief, not all armadillos are able to encase themselves in their shells. They dig their burrows with their claws, making only a single corridor the width of the animal's body. Armadillos are in the Cingulata, an order of New World placental mammals. They use their claws for digging and finding food, as well as for making their homes in burrows. In fact, only the three-banded armadillo can, curling its head and back feet and contorting its shell into a hard ball that confounds would-be predators. The pink fairy armadillo (Chlamyphorus truncatus) or pichiciego is the smallest species of armadillo, at 85 grams (3.0 ounces) and 13 to 15 centimeters (5.1–5.9 inches) in total length. The diets of different armadillo species vary, but consist mainly of insects, grubs, and other invertebrates. Gestation lasts from 60 to 120 days, depending on species, although the nine-banded armadillo also exhibits delayed implantation, so the young are not typically born for eight months after mating. The living ones have a leathery armored shell. 2020 National Geographic Partners, LLC. Armadillos species are mostly found in South and Central America, especially around Paraguay. All rights reserved. They are prolific diggers. The largest species, the giant armadillo, can be the size of a small pig and weigh up to 54 kg (119 lb), and can be 150 cm (59 in) long. Most species have rigid shields over the shoulders and hips, with a number of bands separated by flexible skin covering the back and flanks. This is particularly true of types that specialize in using termites as their primary food source (for example, Priodontes and Tolypeutes). Interesting Armadillo Facts: They vary in size, from 5-59 inches in length to 3-120 pounds in weight. The word armadillo is Spanish for "little armored one". PicFacts(1-500) PicFacts(501-1000) PicFacts(1001-1500) PicFacts(1501-2000) PicFacts(2001-2500) PicFacts (2501-3000) PicFacts (3001-3500) PicFacts (3501-4000) PicFacts … The Giant Armadillo grows up to 100 cm (39 in) and weigh 30 kg (66lbs). Their average length is about 75 centimeters (30 in), including the tail. The nine-banded armadillo is noted for its movement through water which is accomplished via two different methods: it can walk underwater for short distances, holding its breath for as long as six minutes; also, to cross larger bodies of water, it is capable of increasing its buoyancy by swallowing air, inflating its stomach and intestines. Armadillo is a Spanish word, translating to ‘little armoured one’, named by Spanish explorers to Latin America. Nine-banded armadillos are known for often giving birth to four identical pups. There are about 10 living genera and about 20 species of armadillo. Most of the 20 species are found in open areas, such as grasslands, but some also live in forests. Strong legs and huge front claws are used for digging, and long, sticky tongues for extracting ants and termites from their tunnels. Only the South American three-banded armadillos (Tolypeutes) rely heavily on their armour for protection. The nine-banded armadillo, Dasypus novemcinctus, is by … Their armor is a type of hardened skin. Other armadillo species cannot roll up because they have too many plates. The plates cover their back, legs, head and tail, composed of small epidermal scales of horn-covered bone. WATCH: These Cute Armadillos Almost Always Give Birth to Quadruplets, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/group/armadillos.html. Armadillos are covered in bony plates that create their ‘armour’. They are the only living mammal to wear such a shell. Armadillos are stout with short legs and strong, curved claws. However their body has been adapted to their surroundings in the process of evolution. The North American nine-banded armadillo tends to jump straight in the air when surprised, so consequently often collides with the undercarriage or fenders of passing vehicles. Armadillos can be pinkish, dark-brown, black, red, gray or yellowish in color. Of the 20 varieties of armadillo, all but one live in Latin America. They have five clawed toes on their hind feet, and three to five toes with heavy digging claws on their fore feet. Armadillos of the genus Dasypus give birth to four genetically identical young that split from the same embryo; i.e. The young are born with soft, leathery skin which hardens within a few weeks. The armour is formed by plates of dermal bone covered in relatively small, overlapping epidermal scales called "scutes", composed of bone with a covering of horn. Many species use their sharp claws to dig for food, such as grubs, and to dig dens. Armadillo facts: Interesting facts about Armadillos. Additional armour covers the top of the head, the upper parts of the limbs, and the tail. The nine-banded armadillo prefers to build burrows in moist soil near the creeks, streams, and arroyos around which it lives and feeds. Here are 13 Interesting Armadillo facts. Because of their low metabolic rate and lack of fat stores, cold is their enemy, and spates of intemperate weather can wipe out whole populations.

armadillo facts for kids

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