Greater naked-tailed armadillo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Greater naked-tailed armadillo
A live tatu rabo molle, by the National Museum of Natural History, Uruguay
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Cingulata
Family:	Chlamyphoridae
Subfamily:	Tolypeutinae
Genus:	Cabassous
Species:	C. tatouay
Binomial name
Cabassous tatouay (Desmarest, 1804)
Greater naked-tailed armadillo range
Script error: The function "autoWithCaption" does not exist.

Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters".

The greater naked-tailed armadillo (scientific name: Cabassous tatouay) is a special type of armadillo that lives in South America. It's known for its unique tail, which doesn't have much hair.

About the Greater Naked-Tailed Armadillo

This armadillo is bigger than its close relative, the southern naked-tailed armadillo. Adult greater naked-tailed armadillos are about 41 to 49 cm (16 to 19 in) long from head to body. Their tail adds another 15 to 20 cm (5.9 to 7.9 in) to their length.

What Does It Look Like?

The greater naked-tailed armadillo has a strong outer shell called a carapace. This shell covers its back and sides. It has about 13 movable bands in the middle, between the solid parts over its shoulders and hips. Each band has around 30 small, bony plates called scutes.

Its head has a scaled shield on top. The ears and cheeks have much smaller scales. The tail has only a few small, scattered scales, which is why it's called "naked-tailed."

Teeth of the Armadillo

These armadillos have a simple set of teeth. On each side of their upper and lower jaws, they have eight or nine teeth. These teeth are all shaped similarly. They do not have the sharp front teeth (incisors) or pointed teeth (canines) that many other animals have.

Where Do Greater Naked-Tailed Armadillos Live?

Greater naked-tailed armadillos are found in several countries in South America. You can find them in southern Brazil, eastern Paraguay, and Uruguay. They also live in the very northeastern part of Argentina.

Their Homes and Habitats

These armadillos like to live in different kinds of places. They can be found in forests that are low to the ground (lowland forests). They also live in forests on the lower parts of mountains (submontane forests).

They can even live in more open areas. Two examples of these open areas are the Cerrado and the Pantanal. The Cerrado is a large grassland area with scattered trees in Brazil. The Pantanal is one of the world's largest wetlands, full of water and wildlife. There are no different types (subspecies) of this armadillo.

How Greater Naked-Tailed Armadillos Behave

Greater naked-tailed armadillos are busy creatures. They spend their time looking for food and digging burrows.

What Do They Eat?

These armadillos love to eat ants and termites. They use their strong claws to dig into ant nests and termite mounds to find their meals.

Their Underground Homes

When it's time to rest or sleep, greater naked-tailed armadillos dig burrows. They often dig these burrows right inside large termite mounds. This might give them extra protection or warmth.

Their burrows are usually about 20 to 25 cm (7.9 to 9.8 in) wide. They are smart about where they dig their entrances. They make sure the entrance faces away from the direction the wind usually blows. This helps keep their homes cozy and protected from the elements.

See also

In Spanish: Cabasú grande para niños