Pregnancy lasts anything from two to three months. Most species eat insects and other invertebrates, and they live near bodies of water. They can only float by inflating their lungs and intestines with air, due to the heavy weight of their armor. The armored creatures will sink in water by default.
They can run fast and are able to stay underwater for up to six minutes at a time. Their homes are fairly simple and only have one entrance that is just wide enough for their bodies to enter. The South American three-banded species is able to roll up into a protective ball when under attack.Īrmadillos use their claws to forage for food, and to make underground corridors to live in. The nine-banded armadillo tends to jump vertically when confronted or threatened. Though the armor protects them from most predators, they also make use of their speed and agility to escape from danger. Some have long, thick hairs growing in between and underneath the scales, these species are not surprisingly called "hairy." They are not covered entirely by the scales, some have tough skin, hair or fur on the undersides. The scutes are made of bone and have a covering of horn. They derive their name from the description the Spanish conquistadors used for them, meaning “little armored ones”.Īrmadillos are mammals and their leathery armor is formed from dermal bone plates, which are covered by small, overlapping “scutes” - which are epidermal scales. It is the only remaining member of the Cingulata order. The armadillo is considered to be a “living fossil” of sorts. More about this strange-looker: The Pink Fairy Armadillo
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