#ARMADILLO SOUTH CAROLINA SKIN#
The shell (carapace) is made up of scutes or bony plates attached to a tough epidermal skin layer. The armadillo’s appearance is unique among Georgia’s mammals. Because they do not tolerate cold temperatures (below about 36 degrees F), several studies suggest that farther northward migration into the Appalachian Mountains will be limited. They are currently absent from North Carolina but are likely to continue to move northward along the coast and into the Piedmont. They occur throughout the South from Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas through Missouri, eastern Tennessee and into South Carolina. Today, some maps (Georgia Wildlife Web: ) show them to be restricted to South Georgia but, in fact, they are present as far north as Athens and Rome, Georgia. In the 1950s, they were introduced into Florida and began heading north. By the 1930s, they were in Louisiana and by 1954 they had crossed the Mississippi River heading east. At the start of the 20 th century, the nine-banded armadillo was present in Texas. All of these forms disappeared in the ice ages long before humans inhabited North America. Smaller cousins lived as far north as Canada. DistributionĪbout two million years age, a relative of the armadillo as large as a rhinoceros lived in South America. The ears are about an 1½ inches long and the snout is pig-like. The toes are spread so that a walking track looks somewhat like an opossum or raccoon. They have 4 toes on each front foot and 5 on each back foot. They are brown to yellow-brown and have a few sparse hairs on their bellies. The larger adult males weigh between 12 and 17 pounds whereas the smaller females weigh between 8 and 13 pounds. They are 24 to 32 inches long of which 9½ to 14½ inches is tail. The nine-banded armadillo is about the size of an opossum or large house cat. Many are killed while trying to cross roads or highways or when feeding along roadsides. There are no specific threats to their survival. Because they are not protected in Georgia, they can be hunted or trapped throughout the year.
Georgia law prohibits keeping armadillos in captivity, however. Their common name, armadillo, is derived from a Spanish word meaning “little armored one.” StatusĪrmadillos are considered both an exotic species and a pest. The species name, novemcinctus, refers to the nine movable bands on the middle portion of their shell or carapace. The armadillo is so named because the Aztec word for armadillo meant turtle-rabbit. The genus name, Dasypus, is thought to be derived from a Greek word for hare or rabbit. Nine-banded Armadillo – Dasypus novemcinctus Order Xenarthra – Armadillos, Anteaters, and Sloths These disappeared in the ice ages long before humans inhabited North America. About two million years ago a relative of the armadillo as large as a rhinoceros lived in South America, and small cousins lived as far north as Canada. These include the giant armadillo, which can weigh up to 130 pounds, and the pink fairy armadillo, which weighs less than 4 ounces. Only one species of armadillo lives in Georgia and the southeastern United States, but 20 recognized species are found throughout Central and South America. Armadillos are common in central and southern Georgia and are moving northward. Just like a turtle, the shell is called a carapace. No other mammal in Georgia has bony skin plates or a “shell,” which makes the armadillo easy to identify. In fact, armadillos have small, peg-like teeth that are useful for grinding their food but of little value for capturing prey. This tells us that they have poorly developed teeth and limited mobility. Scientists classify armadillos with anteaters and sloths.
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