This southern three-banded animal is a rare mammal. The three-banded armadillo ball is a defense mechanism employed by the creature. When the animal feels threatened, it rolls into a ball. This helps the mammal to protect its vulnerable body parts. It utilizes its body armor in defense. Three-banded armadillos are not migrants. Three-banded armadillos have an altricial and terrestrial lifestyle. A group of three-banded armadillos is called a fez. These animals search through insect colonies or under the bark of trees to find their food. They have a long and sticky tongue that helps them to search through insect colonies and eat the insects. This three-banded armadillo is the only one that can completely curl its body to resemble a ball. These animals are found in both tropical and temperate climatic zones.Like reading this article? Want to know more about the three-banded armadillos? Let’s move on.If you like reading about this mammal, you may also like reading about the Andean hairy armadillo and the three-banded armadillo.
Fun Southern Three-banded Armadillo Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Ants and termites
What do they eat? Insectivore
Average litter size? 1 pup
How much do they weigh? 3 lb (1.5 kg)
How long are they? 12 in (30 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Brown with body armor, strong legs, sharp and long claws, long, sticky tongue, bands on the back of the animal, three middle toes on the back feet are grown together, and toes on the forefeet
Skin Type Hard, bony plates
What were their main threats? Humans
What is their conservation status? Near Threatened
Where you’ll find them? Marshes, Savannah, Shrublands, Grassy Areas, Dry Forests
Locations Brazil, South America , Paraguay
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Tolypeutes
Class Mammalia
Family Chlamyphoridae
Southern Three-Banded Armadillo Interesting FactsWhat type of animal is a southern three-banded armadillo?The southern three-banded armadillo is a mammal belonging to the phylum Chordata, and order Cingulata. The mammal belongs to the subfamily Tolypeutinae.What class of animal does a southern three-banded armadillo belong to?The animal belongs to the class Mammalia, that is, it is a mammal.How many southern three-banded armadillos are there in the world?According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature(IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, the exact number of mature individuals is not known. However, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, the population trend is showing a decline. The population of this animal is not severely fragmented.Where does a southern three-banded armadillo live?The Brazilian three-banded armadillo habitat is found in the continent of South America. In South America, they are mainly found in the countries of Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay. This mammal is a native of the Dry Chaco region. The Dry Chaco is a natural region that is divided among the eastern regions of Bolivia, the western parts of Paraguay, the northern areas of Argentina, and certain portions of the Brazilian states.What is a southern three-banded armadillo’s habitat?The three-banded armadillo habitat is in shrublands and savannah. They are also found in open, dry forests, open, grassy areas, and marshes.Who does southern three-banded armadillo live with?The Tolypeutes matacus is a solitary creature. However, these mammals are found in groups in cold weather.How long does a southern three-banded armadillo live?The southern three-banded armadillo lifespan is 15-20 years. It may also live as long as 36 years.How do they reproduce?It is difficult to trace their reproduction and breeding habits in the wild. Reproduction takes place in the months between October and January. The gestation period is 120 days. The females give birth to only one young creature. The females give birth to a pup that resembles a golf ball in size. The newborns resemble the adult ones in physical features. They become independent after 72 days and start their search for food and shelter. Young adults can take part in reproduction at an age of 9-12 months. The pup has the same armor as the adults.What is their conservation status?According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, the mammal is classified as Near Threatened. These mammals are not classified as endangered. These mammals have been subjected to ex-situ conservation. Species management is in place. Conservation sites have been identified over the entire range. These occur in at least one protected area.Southern Three-Banded Armadillo Fun FactsWhat do southern three-banded armadillos look like?These animals have brownish or yellowish bodies. There are a variety of shades of color on the bodies of these animals. They have strong legs. They also have sharp, and long claws. These animals have a long and sticky tongue. The tongue is straw-like and pink in color. A hard carapace covers the bodies of these animals. The carapace develops from the skin of these animals. It is composed of strong and bony plates called scutes. This forms the body armor. The three middle toes on the back feet are grown together. The outer layer of the body is made of the protein, keratin. The toes on the forefeet are separated. They have four claws on these toes. Three-banded armadillos search through the insect colonies using their sharp claws and strong legs.How cute are they?The three-banded armadillo with its body covered in bony plates is cute.How do they communicate?Three-banded armadillos use their sense of smell. These animals use this to identify other armadillos. The sense of smell is also used to find mates. These animals also have a good sense of hearing. It helps them to identify both predators and prey.How big is a southern three-banded armadillo?The three-banded armadillo is about 12 in (30 cm) in length. It is smaller than the giant armadillo (Priodontes maximus). The giant armadillo is 5 ft (1.5 m) long.How fast can a southern three-banded armadillo move?Armadillos are known to move pretty fast, however the exact information is not available for this one. However, in general, they can reach top speeds of 30 mph (48.28 kph).How much does a southern three-banded armadillo weigh?The three-banded armadillo weighs about 3 lb (1.5 kg).What are the male and female names of the species?The male Tolypeutes matacus is called a lister while the female Tolypeutes matacus is called zed.What would you call a baby southern three-banded armadillo?The baby three-banded armadillo is called a pup.What do they eat?The animals of this species eat insects, and these are their favorite food. Beetle larvae, ants, and termites are also part of the diet for this species. This insectivore is fed ants, termites, or beetle larvae as food in a zoo habitat.Are they poisonous?Armadillos in general are not very aggressive creatures. This wild species can potentially spread several diseases amongst humans if they are eaten or are handled without taking necessary precautions. This species can transmit rabies amongst humans, though such incidences are very rare.Would they make a good pet?The animals in this species are best left in the wild. Much like the African wild dog, this species may not prove to be good pets. This species shall get into garbage, can dig holes in the yard, and shall eat whatever they find. It would not be very convenient for an average pet owner to own a southern three-banded armadillo.Did you know…The young ones of southern three-banded armadillos are born blind. They develop claws quickly and learn to walk on their own. Southern three-banded armadillos give birth all through the year.The southern three-banded armadillo may have sharp claws yet it has a timid nature. Despite having sharp claws, this southern species is not a good digger. It does not dig its own burrow. These creatures use burrows left behind by anteaters. Sometimes, they also make dens in dense vegetation. This behavior separates them from most other armadillo species.Habitat destruction for conversion to farmlands and hunting the creatures for their meat and skin and the pet trade are contributing factors for this species having the conservation status of Near threatened. These mammals are harmed as a result of both perennial and annual non-timber crops grown in the area. The trapping of terrestrial mammals is another major issue.The southern three-banded armadillo is found in an elevation range of 0-262.46 ft (0 -80 m). According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, there is a continuous decline in the extent and area of the southern three-banded armadillo. There is also a decline in the quality of the habitat range where the southern three-banded armadillo is found.There is no action recovery plan in place for this species. There are no systematic monitoring schemes for the southern three-banded armadillo. There are no regional management plans based on areas. The southern three-banded armadillo is not the subject of recent awareness and education programs. There are no harvest management plans in place for the southern three-banded armadillo. They have not been included in international legislation. These are not subjected to international management and trade controls. The southern three-banded armadillo has not been successfully reintroduced in other places or introduced benignly in other areas.Why is it called three-banded armadillo?The southern three-banded armadillo is named this after the number of bands (movable) on its body armor. There are three bands that cover the back of the animal, the head, and tail. These natives of South America are also called La Plata three-banded armadillos.What are the three-banded armadillo defense mechanisms?When the southern three-banded armadillo feels threatened, it curls itself into a ball. This proves useful against most predators. However, these creatures are unable to stand their ground in front of human beings, hence the Near Threatened status.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these pink fairy armadillo facts and giant armadillo facts pages.You can even occupy yourself at home by colouring in one of our free printable southern three-banded Armadillo coloring pages.Second image by Ltshears
What type of animal is a southern three-banded armadillo?
The southern three-banded armadillo is a mammal belonging to the phylum Chordata, and order Cingulata. The mammal belongs to the subfamily Tolypeutinae.
Fun Southern Three-banded Armadillo Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Ants and termites
What do they eat? Insectivore
Average litter size? 1 pup
How much do they weigh? 3 lb (1.5 kg)
How long are they? 12 in (30 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Brown with body armor, strong legs, sharp and long claws, long, sticky tongue, bands on the back of the animal, three middle toes on the back feet are grown together, and toes on the forefeet
Skin Type Hard, bony plates
What were their main threats? Humans
What is their conservation status? Near Threatened
Where you’ll find them? Marshes, Savannah, Shrublands, Grassy Areas, Dry Forests
Locations Brazil, South America , Paraguay
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Tolypeutes
Class Mammalia
Family Chlamyphoridae
Fun Southern Three-banded Armadillo Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Ants and termites
What do they eat? Insectivore
Average litter size? 1 pup
How much do they weigh? 3 lb (1.5 kg)
How long are they? 12 in (30 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Brown with body armor, strong legs, sharp and long claws, long, sticky tongue, bands on the back of the animal, three middle toes on the back feet are grown together, and toes on the forefeet
Skin Type Hard, bony plates
What were their main threats? Humans
What is their conservation status? Near Threatened
Where you’ll find them? Marshes, Savannah, Shrublands, Grassy Areas, Dry Forests
Locations Brazil, South America , Paraguay
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Tolypeutes
Class Mammalia
Family Chlamyphoridae
Fun Southern Three-banded Armadillo Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Ants and termites
What do they eat? Insectivore
Average litter size? 1 pup
How much do they weigh? 3 lb (1.5 kg)
How long are they? 12 in (30 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Brown with body armor, strong legs, sharp and long claws, long, sticky tongue, bands on the back of the animal, three middle toes on the back feet are grown together, and toes on the forefeet
Skin Type Hard, bony plates
What were their main threats? Humans
What is their conservation status? Near Threatened
Where you’ll find them? Marshes, Savannah, Shrublands, Grassy Areas, Dry Forests
Locations Brazil, South America , Paraguay
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Tolypeutes
Class Mammalia
Family Chlamyphoridae
Fun Southern Three-banded Armadillo Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Ants and termites
What do they eat? Insectivore
Average litter size? 1 pup
How much do they weigh? 3 lb (1.5 kg)
How long are they? 12 in (30 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Brown with body armor, strong legs, sharp and long claws, long, sticky tongue, bands on the back of the animal, three middle toes on the back feet are grown together, and toes on the forefeet
Skin Type Hard, bony plates
What were their main threats? Humans
What is their conservation status? Near Threatened
Where you’ll find them? Marshes, Savannah, Shrublands, Grassy Areas, Dry Forests
Locations Brazil, South America , Paraguay
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Tolypeutes
Class Mammalia
Family Chlamyphoridae
What do they prey on? Ants and termites
What do they eat? Insectivore
Average litter size? 1 pup
How much do they weigh? 3 lb (1.5 kg)
How long are they? 12 in (30 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Brown with body armor, strong legs, sharp and long claws, long, sticky tongue, bands on the back of the animal, three middle toes on the back feet are grown together, and toes on the forefeet
Skin Type Hard, bony plates
What were their main threats? Humans
What is their conservation status? Near Threatened
Where you’ll find them? Marshes, Savannah, Shrublands, Grassy Areas, Dry Forests
Locations Brazil, South America , Paraguay
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Tolypeutes
Class Mammalia
Family Chlamyphoridae
What do they prey on? Ants and termites
What do they eat? Insectivore
Average litter size? 1 pup
How much do they weigh? 3 lb (1.5 kg)
How long are they? 12 in (30 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Brown with body armor, strong legs, sharp and long claws, long, sticky tongue, bands on the back of the animal, three middle toes on the back feet are grown together, and toes on the forefeet
Skin Type Hard, bony plates
What were their main threats? Humans
What is their conservation status? Near Threatened
What do they prey on?
Ants and termites
What do they eat?
Insectivore
Average litter size?
1 pup
How much do they weigh?
3 lb (1.5 kg)
How long are they?
12 in (30 cm)
How tall are they?
N/A
What do they look like?
Brown with body armor, strong legs, sharp and long claws, long, sticky tongue, bands on the back of the animal, three middle toes on the back feet are grown together, and toes on the forefeet
Skin Type
Hard, bony plates
What were their main threats?
Humans
What is their conservation status?
Near Threatened
Where you’ll find them? Marshes, Savannah, Shrublands, Grassy Areas, Dry Forests
Locations Brazil, South America , Paraguay
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Tolypeutes
Class Mammalia
Family Chlamyphoridae
Where you’ll find them?
Marshes, Savannah, Shrublands, Grassy Areas, Dry Forests
Locations
Brazil, South America , Paraguay
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Tolypeutes
Kingdom
Animalia
Genus
Tolypeutes
Class Mammalia
Family Chlamyphoridae
