The giant armadillo is considered vulnerable because its population has decreased by at least 30 percent in the past 21 years. The Aztecs called them āyōtōchtli - "turtle-rabbit": āyōtl (turtle) and tōchtli (rabbit). Their skin is tough and they have course hair. On their middle toes they have very long claws that allow them to dig with ease. It has plates of bone covered with leathery skin across its back and tail, and bony armor scales on the head and face. Don't get the idea that they are cowards, however. The good news is today, modern antibiotics keep this disease from becoming the feared plague of old. The Nine-banded armadillo is the official state small mammal of Texas, nicknamed the ‘hillbilly speed bump’ as they are hit on the roads so often. Armadillos can live anywhere from four to 30 years. A bony, scaled shell protects the armadillo from predators. As you well know, armadillos are pelntiful in Tyler, TX. No doubt, the best-known armadillo business, open from 1970-1980, was the Armadillo World Headquarters in Austin. Dasypus novemcinctus, commonly known as the nine-banded armadillo in the US or chicken-armadillo in Brazil, is the only species whose range … After a gestation period of two to five months, the female will give birth to one to 12 young in a birthing burrow. Here is the taxonomy of armadillos, according to ITIS: Kingdom: Animalia Subkingdom: Bilateria Infrakingdom: Deuterostomia Phylum: Chordata Subphylum: Vertebrata Infraphylum: Gnathostomata Superclass: Tetrapoda Class: Mammalia Subclass: Theria Infraclass: Eutheria Order: Cingulata Family: Dasypodidae Subfamilies: Dasypodinae, Euphractinae and Tolypeutinae Genera and species: There are nine genera and 21 species, including: According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), armadillos are not endangered. One type of armadillo - the three banded armadillo - instinctually rolls itself into a ball when threatened, completely enclosing its body in its armor-like shell to defend against predators. Mature females mate in late summer and autumn and give birth to identical quadruplets the following spring. They Need a Lot of Baby Supplies. They can be pink, red, black, gray or yellow.Some people eat armadillos and claim it tastes like pork.The nine-banded armadillo is the official state animal of Texas.The giant armadillo can have up to 100 teeth, according to the San Diego Zoo.The screaming hairy armadillo gets it name from the sound it makes when threatened. The giant armadillo can have up to 100 teeth, according to the San Diego Zoo. A single fertilized egg splits, but in armadillos, the egg splits into four parts, each of which grows up into an armadillo with the same genes as its siblings. It is however in fact quite athletic and can run, dig, and swim. now = new Date Traveling up from South America, the nine-banded armadillo entered Texas from Mexico a little more than a century ago. In 2000, the body of a nine-banded armadillo was found in central Illinois, according to ADW. Baby armadillos are called pups. You will receive a verification email shortly. Its body has an excellent mechanism to get across lakes… Later on, people blamed leprosy in Texas on armadillo meat. Our An armadillo's armor is made up of overlapping plates covering the back, head, legs and tail. The nine-banded armadillo is a solitary, mainly nocturnal animal, found in many kinds of habitats, from mature and secondary rainforests to grassland and dry scrub. It is an insectivore, feeding chiefly on ants, termites, and other small invertebrates. 9-banded Armadillo – The celebrity! Thank you for signing up to Live Science. However, the underside of the body doesnt have such protection. The Nine-Banded Armadillo has a type of armor that covers the body. Pups mature quickly. While the other 20 species of this particular mammal are secluded to South and Central America, the nine-banded armadillo has migrated far beyond the Rio … The nine-banded armadillo is the official state animal of Texas. East Texas armadillos prefer warm, moist climates, and thrive in forested areas and grasslands. They can weigh between 12 and 17 pounds and have a length of approximately 2.5 feet (including their tail). Armadillos are omnivores, which means they eat meat and plants, though 90 percent of an armadillo’s diet is made up of insects and larvae, according to the Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management. All of this helps them to be protected from predators and from their environment. The word armadillo means "little armoured one" in Spanish. The only type of armadillo capable of this feat is the South American three-banded variety. Armadillos are barrel-shaped animals covered with natural armor. They also dig burrows in which to den. Future US, Inc. 11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, They can be pink, red, black, gray or yellow. Armadillos have a wide range of colors. We are born and bred in The This makes digging for food and creating burrows easier. We are your resource for Hill Country travel, things to do, places to eat, We also run the premiere real-estate site in the hill country at HillCountryRealestate.com. The armadillo became the official mascot for the state of Texas in 1981 by executive decree. Need armadillo removal in your hometown? They usually sleep up to 16 hours each day in burrows, according to National Geographic. You are here: Home 1 / Uncategorized 2 / armadillo interesting facts. Only one species, the three-banded armadillo, can roll itself into a hard armored ball to defend itself against predators. Other types may include the more unusual hairy screaming variety and the pink fairy type. The largest species, the giant armadillo, can reach the size of a small pig and weigh up to … New York, Despite common belief, these mammals typically cannot roll into a tight ball, with one exception. Don't get the idea that they are cowards, however. The screaming hairy armadillo gets its name from the sound it makes when threatened. This odd-looking creature still resembles its ancient relatives, and there are some interesting facts about these creatures that few know. The word Armadillo is a Spanish word which means “little armored one” The armor is effective against most of its enemies but not the vehicles of modern day and frequently gets run over by automobiles. They use their snout and long tongue to dig the ground for food. They are weaned by two to four months. It is highly-territorial and always marks its territory. During cold times, a group of armadillos may hunker down in a burrow together to share body heat. They have been known to throw their bodies on top of snakes, killing them by cutting them with the sharp edges of their shells, according to the San Diego Zoo. Despite their name, nine-banded armadillos can have 7 … Due in part to this natural protection, the animals can survive up to 20 years in the wild. Fact 1 The city got its name from a kind of yellow grass that grows in the area. places to stay, tourism, events, lodging, and we feature Texas Hill Country info Deadly 'brain-eating amoeba' has expanded its range northward, Two strange blobs of X-ray energy are swirling out of the galaxy's center, Meet Au-Spot, the AI robot dog that's training to explore caves on Mars, Huge methane cache beneath Arctic could be unlocked by the moon. The Texas armadillo is about the size of a large cat; its overall length is about 2½ feet, and adults weigh from twelve to seventeen pounds. This happens the same way identical twins in humans are born. 1,200-year-old pagan temple to Thor and Odin unearthed in Norway. Armadillo Facts A distant cousin of the sloth and the anteater, the nine-banded armadillo is the only species that occurs in North America. During the 1920s depression, the Nine-banded armadillo was eaten, referred to as the ‘Hoover Hog’ as a result of President Hoovers failure to keep meat on the tables. The nine-banded armadillos that can transmit the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae to humans were once thought to be primarily confined to parts of Louisiana and Texas. The three-banded armadillo is the only species that can roll into a ball for protection. The nine-banded armadillo is the official state animal of Texas. Take a fresh look at the armadillo and see it in a new light. The term “armadillo” means “little armored one” in Spanish, and refers to the presence of bony, armor-like plates covering their body. By the 1930s it had moved into Oklahoma and increased its population in Texas. Click here to hire us in your town and check prices - updated for year 2020. They also eat plants, eggs, small vertebrates and some fruit. Baby armadillos are born already covered in these plates, but they are much softer and more pliable. Here are 13 Interesting Armadillo facts. The smallest species, the pink fairy armadillo, is roughly chipmunk -sized at 85 g (3.0 oz) and 13–15 cm (5.1–5.9 in) in total length. They have very small teeth. NY 10036. According to the San Diego Zoo, twin births are common. Armadillo Facts. They also have wiry hairs along their sides and belly, which they use to feel their way around, like curb feelers on some cars. We service over 500 USA locations! With their long, sticky tongue, armadillos catch ants, beetles, termites and other insects after digging them out of the ground. The feared disease of ancient times has two carriers: man and the armadillo. The number of armored bands identifies the different species, according to the San Diego Zoo. (Image credit: Robert Eastman Shutterstock
), Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management, National Wildlife Federation: Nine-Banded Armadillo. Armadillos of the genus Dasypus give birth to four genetically identical young that … The nine-banded Armadillo is a solitary, nocturnal animal. Originally native to South America, the nine-banded armadillo now ranges as far north as Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Louisiana. day! Armadillo are barrel shaped animals who have a natural armor for protection. Armadillo is a Spanish word meaning “little armored one” and refers to the bony plates that cover the back, head, legs, and tail of most of these odd looking creatures. Approximately 20 species of armadillo exist, but the nine-banded is the only one found in the United States. Armadillo shells have traditionally been used to make the back of … Armadillos have powerful claws for digging up meals, mostly insects and their larvae. Their eyesight is poor, so they hunt with a highly developed sense of smell. The three-banded armadillo is the only species that can roll into a ball for … Copyright © 2008 - Stay up to date on the coronavirus outbreak by signing up to our newsletter today. Jul 12, 2018 - Explore Christine ELLIOTT's board "ARMADILLO", followed by 494 people on Pinterest. Usually, the only time armadillos get together is to mate or to keep warm. In South and Central America three-banded and six-banded armadillos may be found, but the armadillos of Texas are only the nine-banded variety. Contact with the mammals or eating their meat could result in a human contracting the bacteria. The nine-banded armadillo, a relatively recent addition to the Texas fauna, is the only species of armadillo that occurs in North America, the other twenty or so species of Dasypodidae being restricted to South and Central America. It is a simple and less intelligent animal. They can hold their breath underwater for more than 5 minutes. There are 21 species of armadillo, according to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). Live Science is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Armadillos have the distinction of giving birth to exactly four babies with each litter, but what’s unusual is these four offspring are all identical quadruplets. Please deactivate your ad blocker in order to see our subscription offer. Texas is not the only place where you’ll find armadillos. They are also known as the “Hillbilly Speed Bump” for their tendency to get run over by vehicles. By Since the mid-19th century, nine-banded armadillos have expanded northward. Texas State Small Mammal: Armadillo. The most commonly found species of armadillo in Texas is the North American nine-banded armadillo. While most of them do have 9 bands of that armor, some have more or less depending on location. theYear=now.getYear() | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Return Policy. Armadillos have a wide range of colors. We hate spam too, we'll never share your email address. They also have strong legs and sharp claws for digging. Sometimes, a seven-banded armadillo will share its burrow with others of the same gender, though. Perhaps that’s why people say all armadillos look alike. Their mating season takes place in late summer and fall time, following which they birth identical quadruplets in the spring. The screaming hairy armadillo gets it name from the sound it makes when threatened. Armadillos are not social creatures and spend most of their time sleeping. The pink fairy armadillo (Chlamyphorus truncatus) is the smallest of the 20 or so armadillo species, … The nine-banded armadillo ranges from Argentina to the southern United States, according to the Animal Diversity Web (ADW) at the University of Michigan. The Library of Congress: How High can a Nine-Banded Armadillo Jump? 06 October 2015. Some species are vulnerable, though. In the year 1995, the 9-banded Armadillo was named the official … There was a problem. About the size of a small dog, armadillos live throughout Texas, except in the Trans-Pecos. Armadillos are remarkable mammals with unique, all-over body armor consisting of boney plates. One way to distinguish the many types of armadillo is the number of bands. Below, you will learn general facts about the armadillo, including information on reproduction and how to identify armadillo damage. However, while females are exclusive with their territories, males tend to overlap into those of others. See more ideas about Armadillo, Animals wild, Mammals. For example, the Andean hairy armadillo is considered vulnerable because its population has declined by more than 30 percent in the past 10 years. if (theYear < 1900) theYear=theYear+1900 Curling up for protection. Fact 2 Amarillo residents call it the Helium capital of the world because most of the world’s supply of this gas can be located within two hundred and fifty miles of this Texas City. Earlier, the city used to be called Oneida. Armadillos have the distinction of giving birth to exactly four … During the morning and evenings, they forage for food. Most armadillos stick to areas closer to the equator because they like temperate to warm areas due to their lack of fat stores. Alina Bradford - Live Science Contributor Fun Facts The smallest species of armadillo is the pink fairy armadillo - only 5-6" long and less than 1 lb in weight. FACTS, AND CLEAR UP SOME MISCONCEPTIONS OF THESE LITTLE MISUNDERSTOOD CREATURES THAT REPRESENT THE GREAT STATE OF TEXAS AS ONLY THEY CAN. These burrows can be up to 15 feet (4.5 m) wide, according to the Internet Center for Wildlife Damage. Spooning skeletons: Who were these 3,000-year-old 'Romeo and Juliet'? What should we do if a 'planet-killer' asteroid takes aim at Earth? Nine-banded Armadillo Facts Contrary to popular belief, the nine-banded armadillo can not roll itself into a ball to escape predators!! © Other armadillo species simply dig a hole quickly and hunker down so that their tender stomach is protected and their armor is the only thing visible. Armadillos are classified as xenarthrans, a … One of the more amazing armadillo facts is that nine-banded armadillos always have quadruplets - four babies at a time, all of the same sex. All armadillos live in Central and South America, except for one species. Nine-banded armadillos have four identical pups of the same gender in every litter, and the seven-banded armadillo has eight to 15 identical pups at one time. Only one of the twenty-odd varieties of armadillos — the three-banded armadillo (Tolypeutes tricinctus) — is able to roll up.The other types are covered with too many bony plates to allow them to curl up. 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Toes they have course hair armored ball to defend itself against predators removal in hometown... To National Geographic are not social creatures and spend most of their time sleeping Street, 15th,... Be safe a hard armored ball to escape predators! makes digging for food and creating burrows easier for! 1995, the female will give birth to identical quadruplets the following spring do n't get the idea they! Tail, and we welcome you to our newsletter today “Hillbilly Speed Bump” their! Protection, the nine-banded armadillo is the only species that occurs in America!, gray armadillo texas facts yellow armadillos may hunker down in a birthing burrow or to keep....