Armadillos are relict animals, contemporaries of dinosaurs. Once it was a huge family, now in nature there are only a few species. Their sizes also changed: the glyptodont, the largest known representative, was the size of a modern rhino. Now they do not reach one and a half meters in length, and the average height is thirty centimeters.
The battleship (pictures are presented) got its name thanks to the shell of hard plates, reminiscent of knightly armor. Hence the Spanish name of the animal - armadillo (dressed in armor). The parts of the body that are outside the shell are covered with wrinkled, warty skin.
The family is divided into species primarily by the number of belts in the shell: nine-belted, seven-belted, three-belted. "Belts" are joined together by a connective tissue, which provides the animal relative flexibility. The most flexible is a three-belt one: it curls into a ball, like our forest hedgehogs. In addition, species vary in size. The smallest animal is a shield bearer: only thirteen centimeters long.
The average size is the most common type - the nine-belted battleship. It is about fifty centimeters long, and weighs from four to eight kilograms.
The battleship lives mainly in South and Central America. Prefers fields and sandy plains, digs deep holes. Nine-belts are less whimsical than the rest of the species: they do not disdain bushes, climb mountains up to three kilometers. They are more likely to migrate than others: it was this species that colonized Texas, the other southern states of the USA and continued to move north.
Armadillos are animals with a short lifespan. Nine-belts live for about four years. The animals have developed muscles. Despite the carapace, they run fast, stand on their hind legs and even bounce in place. But their main way to get out of danger is to quickly dig into the ground.
Armadillos are nocturnal animals. During the day they sleep, and in the dark they hunt. Their main delicacy is ants. In addition to insects and larvae, the diet includes shoots and fruits of plants, mushrooms, small lizards and frogs. The animals are not toothless: this unit has no fangs and tooth enamel. They have a great scent and very low vision. The battleship has one more advantage: it consumes little air and is able to hold its breath for a long time. Due to this feature, the animal is an excellent swimmer and copes very well with earth moving.
The armadillo litter most often consists of four cubs, which are
identical twins. They are born with a soft skin coating, which after some time bones and turns into armor. Kids come into the world with their eyes open, after a few hours they get on their feet, in a year they completely mature.
Armadillos are animals susceptible to leprosy. This is a disease of a relatively small number of mammals. The risk group includes people, monkeys, mice. The armadillos tested medical preparations for this serious illness, which is still widespread in tropical countries.