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Armadillo
Armadillos () are New World placental mammals in the order (biology), order Cingulata. They form part of the superorder Xenarthra, along with the anteaters and sloths. 21 extant species of armadillo have been described, some of which are distinguished by the number of bands on their armor. All species are native to the Americas, where they inhabit a variety of environments. Living armadillos are characterized by a leathery armour (anatomy), armor shell and long, sharp claws for digging. They have short legs, but can move quite quickly. The average length of an armadillo is about , including its tail. The giant armadillo grows up to and weighs up to , while the pink fairy armadillo has a length of only . When threatened by a predator, ''Tolypeutes'' species frequently roll up into a ball; they are the only species of armadillo capable of this. Recent genetic research has shown that the megafaunal glyptodonts (up to tall with maximum body masses of around 2 tonnes), which ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nine-banded Armadillo
The nine-banded armadillo (''Dasypus novemcinctus''), also called the nine-banded long-nosed armadillo or common long-nosed armadillo, is a species of armadillo native to North America, North, Central America, Central, and South America, making it the most widespread of the armadillos. Its ancestors originated in South America, and remained there until the formation of the Isthmus of Panama allowed them to enter North America as part of the Great American Interchange. The nine-banded armadillo is a solitary, mainly Nocturnality, nocturnalArmadillo Observation Msu.edu. Retrieved on October 17, 2013. . Ksr.ku.edu. Retrieved on October 17, 2013. an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dasypus
''Dasypus'' is the only extant genus in the family Dasypodidae. Its species are known as long-nosed or naked-tailed armadillos. They are found in South America, South, Central America, Central, and North America, as well as on the Caribbean islands of Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago. Members of ''Dasypus'' are solitary and primarily nocturnal to avoid temperature extremes and predation. They exist in numerous habitats ranging from brush to grassland areas and are mainly insectivorous. The name is derived from the Ancient Greek words δασύς (''dasús''), meaning "hair", and πούς (''poús''), meaning "foot". The most common and widespread of the ''Dasypus'' species is the nine-banded armadillo (''Dasypus novemcintus''), which is commonly used in the study of leprosy due to its unique ability to contract the disease. Description ''Dasypus'' are Xenarthra, xenarthran mammals known for their hard armor like shell, called a carapace. Their ossified dermal plates compose a series ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pink Fairy Armadillo
The pink fairy armadillo (''Chlamyphorus truncatus'') is the smallest species of armadillo, first described by Richard Harlan in 1825. The pink fairy armadillo is long, and typically weighs about . This solitary, desert-adapted animal is endemic to the deserts and scrub lands of central Argentina. The pink fairy armadillo is closely related to the only other fairy armadillo, the greater fairy armadillo. Pink fairy armadillos have small eyes, silky yellowish white fur, and flexible dorsal shells that are attached to their bodies solely by thin dorsal membranes. Their spatula-shaped tails protrude from vertical plates at the blunt rear of their shells. They exhibit nocturnal and solitary habits and feed themselves largely on insects, worms, snails, and various plant parts. The pink fairy armadillo has a unique ability to bury itself in a matter of seconds, using its specialized claws to dig into sandy or loamy soils. This behavior helps protect the armadillo from predators and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Giant Armadillo
The giant armadillo (''Priodontes maximus''), colloquially ''tatu-canastra'', ''tatou'', ''ocarro'' or ''tatú carreta'', is the largest living species of armadillo (although their extinct relatives, the Glyptodontidae, glyptodonts, were much larger). It lives in South America, ranging throughout as far south as northern Argentina. This species is considered vulnerable to extinction. The giant armadillo prefers termites and some ants as prey, and often consumes the entire population of a termite mound. It also has been known to prey upon worms, larvae and larger creatures, such as spiders and snakes, and plants. Some giant armadillos have been reported to have eaten bees by digging into beehives. Description The giant armadillo is the largest living species of armadillo, with 11 to 13 hinged bands protecting the body and a further three or four on the neck. Its body is dark brown in color, with a lighter, yellowish band running along the sides, and a pale, yellow-white head. T ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Xenarthra
Xenarthra (; from Ancient Greek ξένος, xénos, "foreign, alien" + ἄρθρον, árthron, "joint") is a superorder and major clade of placental mammals native to the Americas. There are 31 living species: the anteaters, tree sloths, and armadillos. Extinct xenarthrans include the glyptodonts, pampatheres and ground sloths. Xenarthrans originated in South America during the late Paleocene about 60 million years ago. They evolved and diversified extensively in South America during the continent's long period of isolation in the early to mid Cenozoic Era. They spread to the Antilles by the early Miocene and, starting about 3 million years ago, spread to Central and North America as part of the Great American Interchange. Nearly all of the formerly abundant megafaunal xenarthrans became extinct at the end of the Pleistocene. Characteristics Xenarthrans share several characteristics that are not present in other placental mammals, which suggest that xenarthrans desce ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tolypeutes
The genus ''Tolypeutes'' contains the two species of three-banded armadillos. They are restricted to open and semi-open habitats in South America. Of the several armadillo genera, only ''Tolypeutes'' rely heavily on their armor for protection. 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. This species is endangered due to hunting and deforestation Deforestation or forest clearance is the removal and destruction of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then converted to non-forest use. Deforestation can involve conversion of forest land to farms, ranches, or urban use. Ab ... of its native Brazilian habitat. They lack the ability to dig burrows like their competitors, instead relying on abandoned ones. Deforestation is a critical concern because it reduces available burrows, leaving them exposed to predators and human activity. Species There are ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mammal
A mammal () is a vertebrate animal of the Class (biology), class Mammalia (). Mammals are characterised by the presence of milk-producing mammary glands for feeding their young, a broad neocortex region of the brain, fur or hair, and three Evolution of mammalian auditory ossicles, middle ear bones. These characteristics distinguish them from reptiles and birds, from which their ancestors Genetic divergence, diverged in the Carboniferous Period over 300 million years ago. Around 6,640 Neontology#Extant taxon, extant species of mammals have been described and divided into 27 Order (biology), orders. The study of mammals is called mammalogy. The largest orders of mammals, by number of species, are the rodents, bats, and eulipotyphlans (including hedgehogs, Mole (animal), moles and shrews). The next three are the primates (including humans, monkeys and lemurs), the Artiodactyl, even-toed ungulates (including pigs, camels, and whales), and the Carnivora (including Felidae, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cingulata
Cingulata, part of the superorder Xenarthra, is an order of armored New World placental mammals. The armadillos, whose species are split between the families Dasypodidae and Chlamyphoridae, are the only surviving members of the order. Two groups of cingulates much larger than extant armadillos (maximum body mass of 45 kg (100 lb) in the case of the giant armadillo) existed until recently: pampatheriids, which reached weights of up to 200 kg (440 lb) and chlamyphorid glyptodonts, which attained masses of 2,000 kg (4,400 lb) or more. The cingulate order originated in South America during the Paleocene epoch about 66 to 56 million years ago, and due to the continent's former isolation remained confined to it during most of the Cenozoic. However, the formation of a land bridge allowed members of all three families to migrate to southern North America during the Pliocene or early Pleistocene as part of the Great American Interchange. After surviving f ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chlamyphorinae
Chlamyphorinae is a subfamily of South American armadillos in the family Chlamyphoridae. Members of this subfamily, the fairy armadillos, are largely fossorial and have reduced eyes and robust forearms with large claws for digging. __TOC__ Taxonomy The subfamily has two monotypic genera: *'' Calyptophractus'', greater fairy armadillo *'' Chlamyphorus'', pink fairy armadillo Phylogeny Chlamyphorinae is the sister group of Tolypeutinae (giant In folklore, giants (from Ancient Greek: ''wiktionary:gigas, gigas'', cognate wiktionary:giga-, giga-) are beings of humanoid appearance, but are at times prodigious in size and strength or bear an otherwise notable appearance. The word ''gia ..., three-banded and naked-tailed armadillos), as shown below. References Armadillos Mammal subfamilies Taxa named by Charles Lucien Bonaparte {{mammal-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tolypeutinae
Tolypeutinae is a subfamily of armadillos in the family Chlamyphoridae, consisting of the giant, three-banded and naked-tailed armadillos. __TOC__ Taxonomy It contains the following genera: *'' Cabassous'' *'' Kuntinaru'' *'' Priodontes'' *'' Tolypeutes'' *'' Vetelia'' Phylogeny Tolypeutinae is the sister group In phylogenetics, a sister group or sister taxon, also called an adelphotaxon, comprises the closest relative(s) of another given unit in an evolutionary tree. Definition The expression is most easily illustrated by a cladogram: Taxon A and ... of Chlamyphorinae, the fairy armadillos, as shown below. References Armadillos Extant Chattian first appearances {{mammal-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chlamyphoridae
Chlamyphoridae is a family of cingulate mammals. While glyptodonts have traditionally been considered stem-group cingulates outside the group that contains modern armadillos, there had been speculation that the extant family Dasypodidae could be paraphyletic based on morphological evidence. In 2016, an analysis of '' Doedicurus'' mtDNA found it was, in fact, nested within the modern armadillos as the sister group of a clade consisting of Chlamyphorinae and Tolypeutinae. For this reason, all extant armadillos but ''Dasypus'' were relocated to a new family. The scientific name comes from Ancient Greek (), "cloak", and (), "bearing". __TOC__ Classification Below is a taxonomy of the extant species of armadillos in this family. Family Chlamyphoridae * Subfamily Chlamyphorinae ** Genus '' Calyptophractus'' *** Greater fairy armadillo, ''Calyptophractus retusus'' ** Genus '' Chlamyphorus'' ***Pink fairy armadillo, ''Chlamyphorus truncatus'' * Subfamily Euphractinae ** Genus '' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Euphractinae
Euphractinae is an armadillo subfamily in the family Chlamyphoridae. Euphractinae are known for having a well developed osteoderm that has large cavities filled with adipose tissue, and more hair follicles with well developed sebaceous glands in comparison to the Dasypodidae sub family. These are believed to be evolutionary adaptations in the Euphractinae to support it in the cooler climate that it usually lives in. __TOC__ Taxonomy It contains the following genera: *'' Chaetophractus'', hairy armadillos *'' Euphractus'', six-banded armadillos *'' Zaedyus'', pichis Extinct genera include: * '' Paleuphractus'' * '' Parutaetus'' * '' Doellotatus'' * '' Proeuphractus'' * ''Macroeuphractus'' Phylogeny A mitochondrial DNA investigation has concluded that Euphractinae is the sister group of a clade consisting of Chlamyphorinae (fairy armadillos) and Tolypeutinae (giant, three-banded and naked-tailed armadillos) along with extinct glyptodont Glyptodonts are an extinct clade ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
