cyatta is a genus of ant in the subfamily myrmicinae containing the single species cyatta abscondita .

it is considered the most recent ancestor of all fungus-farming ants and a living fossil .

cyatta

richness of cyatta species ( countries with darker colours are more species - rich ) . for a list of species and subspecies see the checklist of cyatta species or for valid names only see cyatta species .
cyatta sosa - calvo , schultz , brandão et al . , 2013 : 4 . type - species : cyatta abscondita , by original designation .
the new species of fungus - growing ant from brazil has been named cyatta abscondita .
chamber with a fungus garden grown by cyatta abscondita . image credit : ted schultz / smithsonian .
expansion of the geographic range of cyatta abscondita sosa‑calvo et al . , 2013 ( hymenoptera : formicidae )
cyatta abscondita : taxonomy , evolution , and natural history of a new fungus - farming ant genus from brazil .
cyatta abscondita is considered to be a ‘living fossil , ’ which can reveal ways in which early attini ants may have lived .
expansion of the geographic range of cyatta abscondita sosa‑calvo et al . , 2013 ( hymenoptera : formicidae ) | ramos | check list
new distribution records of the savanna specialist fungus - farming ant cyatta sosa - calvo et al . ( hymenoptera : formicidae : myrmicinae )
cyatta abscondita : taxonomy , evolution , and natural history of a new fungus - farming ant genus from brazil . - pubmed - ncbi
new distribution records of the savanna specialist fungus - farming ant cyatta sosa - calvo et al . ( hymenoptera : formicidae : myrmicinae )
an excavated cyatta fungus garden , showing the cultures suspended from a chamber ceiling . ( modified from sosa - calvo et al 2013 fig . 6 ) .
holotype worker ( usnment00758173 ) ( a , c , e ) and paratype gyne ( usnment00758174 ) ( b , d , f ) of cyatta abscondita .
taxonomic treatments database ( 2012 ) . cyatta abscondita : taxonomy , evolution , and natural history of a new fungus - farming ant genus from brazil . checklist dataset
census records can tell you a lot of little known facts about your cyatta ancestors , such as occupation . occupation can tell you about your ancestor ' s social and economic status .
but cyatta is not just another trachymyrmex . this new ant occupies an unusual space in the attine tree . cyatta , along with its sister kalathomyrmex , doesn’t share recent ancestry with other attines , instead tracing its origin to near the origin of the whole tribe . as such , it will provide another perspective from which to triangulate our inferences of how ant agriculture developed .
cyatta abscondita was first recognized by jeffrey sosa - calvo and his colleagues as a single misidentified specimen in 2003 in the collections of the museum of zoology at the university of sao paulo in brazil .
census records can give you a fascinating window into the day - to - day lives of your cyatta ancestors - like hours worked per week , level of education , veteran status , employers , and more .
the ghost ant , formally cyatta abscondita , is considered a living fossil , the most recent ancestor of all fungus farming ants , that researchers hope will unveil new clues about how early attine ants may have lived .
use census records and voter lists to see where families with the cyatta surname lived . within census records , you can often find information like name of household members , ages , birthplaces , residences , and occupations .
sosa - calvo j et al . 2013 . cyatta abscondita : taxonomy , evolution , and natural history of a new fungus - farming ant genus from brazil . plos one 8 ( 11 ) : e80498 ; doi : 10 . 1371 / journal . pone . 0080498
urltoken on the basis of the extreme amount of morphological divergence and the outcome of the divergence relationship explanations ( see below ) , we have chosen to describe cyatta like a new genus in place of to describe it as a variety within the genus kalathomyrmex discovery history .
the genus name , cyatta , is a neologism constructed in part from the brazilian tupi language word cy , meaning ‘sister , ’ and the name of the ant genus atta . the specific name , abscondita , means ‘hidden ant’ and refers to the exceedingly secretive nature of the new species .
an unusually short lifespan might indicate that your cyatta ancestors lived in harsh conditions . a short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family . the ssdi is a searchable database of more than 70 million names . you can find birthdates , death dates , addresses and more .
cyatta is a neologism constructed in part from the brazilian tupi language word cy , meaning
sister ,
referring to its status , along with the genus kalathomyrmex , as the sister clade to the remaining genera of the informal clade neoattini , to which the genus atta , the most conspicuous member of the neoattini , belongs .
ted schultz , curator of ants at the national museum of natural history , studies the nest and behavior of the newly discovered fungus - farming ant species , cyatta abscondita , in brazil . the new species is a ‘living fossil’ which can help scientists reveal the way in which the first fungus - farming ant may have lived .
( a , b ) fazenda agua limpa ( faz ) . ( a ) excavation of nest jsc100412 - 01 in dormitory garden area . ( b ) cerrado senso stricto , where colonies were found on the side of the road . ( c , d ) nest entrance of cyatta abscondita ( white arrows ) . ( c ) worker entering nest . ( d ) nest entrance of cyatta abscondita , consisting of an inconspicuous ~ 1mm diameter hole in the ground . ( e ) chamber with pendant fungus garden . ( f ) excavation of nest 4 ( jsc110920 - 01 ) . black bars indicate two chambers , the lower one 104 cm below the surface .
sosa - calvo j , schultz tr , brandão crf , klingenberg c , feitosa rm , et al . ( 2013 ) cyatta abscondita : taxonomy , evolution , and natural history of a new fungus - farming ant genus from brazil . plos one 8 ( 11 ) : e80498 . doi : 10 . 1371 / journal . pone . 0080498
sosa - calvo j , schultz tr , brandão crf , klingenberg c , feitosa rm , et al . ( 2013 ) cyatta abscondita : taxonomy , evolution , and natural history of a new fungus - farming ant genus from brazil . plos one 8 ( 11 ) : e80498 . doi : 10 . 1371 / journal . pone . 0080498
for example , cyatta gardens resemble those of kalathomyrmex and mycocepurus , strengthening our inference that simple suspended gardens were the form used by the ancestor of all neoattines . and the presence of larval anchor hairs employed in other genera to hang larvae along the sides of the nest chamber ( see clint penick’s research ) , suggests that brood - hanging may have been present in the early attines but was subsequently lost .
@ misc { sosa - calvo _ cyattaabscondita : , author = { jeffrey sosa - calvo and ted r . schultz and carlos r . f . br and christiana klingenberg and rodrigo m and christian rabeling and maurício bacci and cauê t . lopes and heraldo l . vasconcelos } , title = { cyatta abscondita : taxonomy , evolution , and natural history of a new fungus - farming ant genus from brazil } , year = { } }
most notably , cyatta differs from all other attine genera and species by the following autapomorphies : ( i ) mandible of the worker and gyne with four teeth ; ( ii ) in ventral view , metapleura of the worker and gyne with two piniform processes between the mid and hind coxae , apparently absent in the male ; ( iii ) apical margin of the pygidium medially emarginate , v - shaped ; and ( iv ) forewing of the male with a closed discal cell .
sosa - calvo , j . , t . r . schultz , c . r . f . brandão , c . klingenberg , r . m . feitosa , c . rabeling , m . m . jr . bacci , c . t lopes and h . l . vasconcelos . 2013 . cyatta abscondita : taxonomy , evolution , and natural history of a new fungus - farming ant genus from brazil . plos one 8 ( 11 ) : e80498 . doi : 10 . 1371 / journal . pone . 0080498
the genus cyatta shares with other members of the neoattine clade : ( i ) the antennal scape of the male long , longer than the sum of the length of antennal funicular segments i–iii ; ( ii ) the first funicular segment ( pedicel ) of the antenna of the male longer than second funicular segment ; ( iii ) the petiole in workers somewhat sessile ; ( iv ) the lack of hypostomal teeth in workers and gynes ; and ( v ) the maxillary palp of the larva widely removed laterad from the galea .
this dataset contains the digitized treatments in plazi based on the original journal article jeffrey sosa - calvo , ted r . schultz , carlos r . f . brandao , christiana klingenberg , rodrigo m . feitosa , christian rabeling , mauricio bacci jr . , caue t . lopes , heraldo l . vasconcelos ( 2013 ) : cyatta abscondita : taxonomy , evolution , and natural history of a new fungus - farming ant genus from brazil . plos one 8 ( 11 ) : 1 - 20 , doi : doi : 10 . 1371 / journal . pone . 0080498
sosa - calvo , j . , schultz , t . r . , brandão , c . r . f . , klingenberg , c . , feitosa , r . m . , rabeling , c . , bacci , m . jr . , lopes , c . t . , heraldo , l . vasconcelos , h . l . 2013 . cyatta abscondita : taxonomy , evolution , and natural history of a new fungus - farming ant genus from brazil . plos one 8 ( 11 ) : e80498 . doi : 10 . 1371 / journal . pone . 0080498 .
cyatta shares with its sister genus , kalathomyrmex , ( i ) the lack of a tubercle or spine on the inferior lateral margin of the pronotum , a symplesiomorphy shared with the paleoattine clade ; ( ii ) the clypeus with a pair of lateral transverse carinae , each extending from the frontal lobe to the mandibular insertion and each medially developed into a lamella perpendicular to the clypeal face , thus forming a wall that divides the clypeus laterally into anterior and posterior areas ; and ( iii ) the mandibles of the male with three teeth , of which the apical and preapical teeth are the largest and have a multidentate ( sawlike ) margin .
cyatta differs from its sister genus kalathomyrmex , however , by ( i ) having , on the forewing of the male ( forewing of gyne unknown ) , a closed marginal cell ( open in the forewings of both the male and gyne of kalathomyrmex [ klingenberg and brandão , therein as radial cell ] ) ; ( ii ) the mesoscutum of the male with strongly impressed notauli ( absent in the male of kalathomyrmex ) ; ( iii ) the pronotum of the male with lateral pronotal tubercles present , pyramidal ( the pronotum in the male of kalathomyrmex lacks any tubercles ) ; and ( iv ) the psammophore absent in the worker , the gyne , and the male .
the ghost ant , a new genus and species described in the journal plos one reveals clues about one of the world ' s earliest agricultural specialists .
scientists know of more than 240 ants in the group attine that evolved more than 50 million years ago , capable of growing elaborate fungal gardens as a source of food within nests for their colonies .
the c . abscondita was first recognized in 2003 , when researchers working with a museum species collection in sao paulo , brazil realized it was a misidentified species . based on where this misidentified species was located , the researchers traced it back to two biomes : caatinga , an under explored desert - like region populated widely by small thorny vegetation , and cerrado , a tropical savanna region known among experts as a biodiversity hotspot .
it took years of work and numerous large holes for the researchers to confirm the ghost ant was indeed a new species . the work to identify the ants by their intricate nests required the researchers to dig holes as deep as two meters in the ground .
the ghost ants grow fungus gardens on the walls of chambers in their nest . while the fungus may not require the ants to survive , it ' s clear the ants depend on the fungus for their own survival .
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gyne . preocular carina absent . mandible 4 - toothed , apical tooth nearly twice as long as preapical tooth . parapsidal lines inconspicuous .
male . mandibles broadly triangular with apical and subapical teeth present . anterior margin of clypeus ( clypeal apron ) convex , projecting over mandibles , and with a long median seta . discal cell present in forewing .
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an international group of entomologists has described a new genus and species of fungus - farming ant from brazil .
fungus - growing ants ( tribe attini ) make up a group of more than 240 species . they evolved more than 50 million years ago , growing elaborate fungal gardens as a source of food within nests for their colonies .
these ants are nocturnal and forage for organic debris to grow their fungus gardens , which hang in curtain - like columns from the ceilings of their hidden underground chambers .
the fungi that the attini ants cultivate are probably not completely dependent upon their ant partners to survive and reproduce ; they may be capable of surviving independently . the ants , however , are obligatorily dependent on the fungi for their survival .
while theories about the origin of attini ants’ relationships with fungi remain a topic of debate , entomologists generally support the hypothesis that ants first began to interact with fungi by sharing overlapping habitats .
based on where the specimens had been collected , the entomologists traced the location of the species to two separate , highly threatened , biomes in brazil : caatinga , an underexplored desert - like region populated widely by small thorny vegetation , and cerrado , a tropical savanna region known among experts as a biodiversity hotspot .
“after discovering such an informative species in caatinga and cerrado , we are very excited to return to these regions to learn more about this fascinating group of ants , ” said study second author dr ted schultz of smithsonian’s national museum of natural history .
“with the majority of the world’s invertebrates still waiting to be identified , the age of discovery is only just beginning . ”
“brazil is a key steward in understanding our planet’s incredible natural history and biodiversity , and it plays a vital role in making findings like this possible , ” dr schultz concluded .
juvenile australopithecus climbed trees , 3 . 32 - million - year - old foot fossil shows
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this page was last modified on 20 january 2014 , at 06 : 27 .
sosa - calvo , schultz , brandão , klingenberg , feitosa , rabeling , bacci , lopes & vasconcelos 2013 . yes , that’s the full name . modified from sosa calvo et al 2013 figure 1 .
figure 7 from sosa - calvo et al 2013 . this phylogeny is based on 4 nuclear protein - coding genes .
one final gripe - because i always have a gripe - is that all authors of the paper are also listed as authors of the genus and species . this makes the formal name for the new ant an impressive :
this moniker will be a handful for people who handle taxonomic databases , or for taxonomists who will need to write about this ant . i doubt all authors contributed equally to the written description embedded in the paper ; surely a separate , smaller authorship for the description would have made for a less cumbersome name .
in that vein , does anyone know if there is a longer authorship for any animal species ? this is the largest i’ve seen .
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by jeffrey sosa - calvo , ted r . schultz , carlos r . f . br , christiana klingenberg , rodrigo m , christian rabeling , maurício bacci , cauê t . lopes , heraldo l . vasconcelos
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a monotypic genus closely allied with the attine genus kalathomyrmex . the single known species is a fungus growing ant .
species richness by country based on regional taxon lists ( countries with darker colours are more species - rich ) . view data
the following information is derived from barry bolton ' s new general catalogue , a catalogue of the world ' s ants .
unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description .
preocular carina absent . mandible 4 - toothed , apical tooth nearly twice as long as preapical tooth . parapsidal lines inconspicuous .
mandibles broadly triangular with apical and subapical teeth present . anterior margin of clypeus ( clypeal apron ) convex , projecting over mandibles , and with a long median seta . discal cell present in forewing .
this page was last modified on 26 june 2017 , at 18 : 40 .
a couple weeks ago a media guy from our college of natural sciences , thomas swafford , stopped in to shoot a short piece promoting the insect collection . have a look !
i have never been more pleased to report a taxonomic name change than this one . long called “ tetramorium caespitum” , then “ tetramorium species e” once it became clear the eurasian t . caespitum was a complex of cryptic forms , the pavement ant has spread across the world and is now among most common urban ants in north america . after decades of confusion , herbert wagner has published a fine monograph on the taxonomy of the species complex . among wagner’s many discoveries was that santschi’s 1927 “ immigrans” was valid for this world - traveller . an apt change , and a fine resolution of a long - standing problem .
wagner , h . c . et al ( 2017 ) . light at the end of the tunnel : integrative taxonomy delimits cryptic species in the tetramorium caespitum complex ( hymenoptera : formicidae ) ” . myrmecological news 25 : 95 - 129
concluding , among many results , that a slate of socially parasitic genera had evolved from within their host genera . the names of parasitic genera were subsequently sunk . inclusion of derived groups in their parent genera has been standard practice for decades as a way to keep names consistent with ancestry .
we contend that banning all paraphyletic groups while simultaneously executing binominal linnaean nomenclature results in a taxonomy going off the rails .
still , given the volumes of vituperative ink spilled a half - century ago in the cladism wars , and the weight of the pro - monophyly consensus among all biologists , i suspect this renegade group of ant scientists will be fighting an uphill battle .
disclosure : i eclosed as a myrmecologist from phil ward’s lab , so of course i am not without my allegiances .
sources : seifert , b . et al 2016 . banning paraphylies and executing linnaean taxonomy is discordant and reduces the evolutionary and semantic information content of biological nomenclature . insectes sociaux doi : 10 . 1007 / s00040 - 016 - 0467 - 1
ward , p . s . et al 2015 . the evolution of myrmicine ants : phylogeny and biogeography of a hyperdiverse ant clade ( hymenoptera : formicidae ) . systematic entomology , 40 : 61–81 . doi : 10 . 1111 / syen . 12090
, an australian myrmicine . the narrow , two - segmented waist is characteristic of this subfamily .
we’re only halfway through the year , but already 2014 will be remembered as pivotal for studies of ant evolution and classification . following right on the heels of schmidt & shattuck’s massive ponerine revision comes
from the ant tree of life group . ward , brady , fisher , and schultz ( 2014 ) have reconstructed the first thorough genus - level phylogeny of the great ant subfamily myrmicinae .
roughly half of all ants are myrmicines , both in abundance and in species diversity . their numbers include fire ants , harvester ants , leafcutter ants , big - headed ants , acrobat ants , and so on , to the tune of some 6 , 000 + species .
so… boom ! suddenly , we’ve been given a detailed picture of the evolution of half the ants . this is big . it is so big i cannot cover the paper in detail . instead , i’ll just give a few preliminary thoughts , as follows :
the myrmicine big picture . ( sharpie on office paper , 2014 , limited edition print available , unless i recycle it ) .
distressingly , fuzzy resolution in a data set with this many markers and taxa means achieving proper resolution , if at all , will likely be expensive . myrmicines may have speciated so explosively that we may never be able to reconstruct what happened with confidence .
4 . the authors correct a few of the more obvious instances of paraphyly . notably , the new world “
most of the identified problems - such as what to do with monomorium and aphaenogaster – were left for targeted future research .
5 . remember the dispute over pyramica vs . strumigenys ? the argument was fundamentally over how ant mandibles evolve . apparently , high energy trap - jaws arise easier than anyone imagined . according to ward et al , not only is the assemblage of trap - jaw ants formerly included in dacetini a polyphyletic splatter , even within the genus strumigenys the trap jaw has arisen at least twice .
, modified from figure 1 in ward et al 2014 , showing strong support for the parallel evolution of trap - jaws in the genus .
of the neotropics , sitting on a distant branch of the ant tree . peas in a poneromorph pod…
ultimately , ward et al have crafted a sobering view of how little we still know about ant evolution , and how much remains to be done .
. systematic entomology , online early . doi : 10 . 1111 / syen . 12090
disclosure : i received my ph . d . from phil ward’s lab where much of this study was completed , and i contributed a few of the samples , but i was long gone by the time the study was initiated and have had no other involvement with the research .
a monumental day for ant taxonomy ! the mythical schmidt & shattuck ponerine revision , long rumored to be in the works , has emerged from the mists of legend and lore . it’s real ! all 242 pages are in
you might think such large changes would invite controversy , but i anticipate that the new scheme will be widely accepted and largely stable .
in the big picture , schmidt & shattuck have put this important group of ants on a stronger taxonomic foundation . in the small picture , we are faced with the mundane realities of re - memorization .
pachyondyla apicalis ? no longer . get used to neoponera apicalis . pachycondyla stigma ? nope . it’s pseudoponera stigma . plus , there’s brachyponera , pseudoneoponera , mesoponera…
source : schmidt , ca , shattuck , so ( 2014 ) the higher classification of the ant subfamily ponerinae ( hymenoptera : formicidae ) , with a review of ponerine ecology and behavior . zootaxa 3817 ( 1 ) : 001–242 .
urban ant collectors across temperate north america are undoubtedly familiar with the pavement ant tetramorium caespitum * . this small brown insect is as common as dirt along sidewalks .
the pavement ant is not native here . rather , it is a european species that proliferates in the novel habitats where americans added cement and paving stone to previously uncapped , pavement - free soils . since we love our sidewalks and our asphalt , we have created a lot of ant habitat and a lot of pavement ants .
this diagnosis failed in the 1980s when an extremely similar species was introduced to st . louis . the newcomer , the japanese pavement ant
. on average , the new introduction is slightly smaller and with slightly larger propodeal spines . your chances of nailing the id based on a single worker aren’t great .
there is one easy identification trick that works pretty well at low magnification in the field , though . the trick is worth learning , because tetramorium tsushimae appears to be more aggressively invasive than the common pavement ant and may become more common as it spreads from missouri and illinois .
colonies of the japanese pavement ant usually host a great deal more color variation in the workers .
while older t . tsushimae are uniformly dark , the same as their european counterparts , younger workers are strongly bicolored , with a light thorax , giving colonies a more varied appearance . this difference should be visible in the photograph above .
now that you can spot the difference , keep an eye out for t . tsushimae . it could show up many places where t . caespitum is currently king .
* sometimes called “ tetramorium sp . e . ” , for reasons too lengthy to discuss here .
source : steiner , florian m . , birgit c . schlick - steiner , james c . trager , karl moder , matthias sanetra , erhard christian , and christian stauffer . 2006 . tetramorium tsushimae , a new invasive ant in north america . biological invasions 8 ( 2 ) : 117 - 123 .
this book is not a book . it’s an unpublished student thesis from the university of texas at el paso .
apparently bibliogov , a publishing company that scrapes state websites and repackages content to sell to unsuspecting buyers , has picked up the deposited thesis and is printing it on demand . the research was not completed to the point of submission to a peer - reviewed journal , and neither the student nor her adviser intended to publish the work . at least , not in the current form . the thesis was merely filed as a requirement for the student to graduate .
this sort of robo - publishing would not normally be a problem but for the legalistic nature of how taxonomic names are regulated . publishing is a formal act that makes taxonomic names available . third party printing potentially legitimizes taxonomic proposals never intended for release . not good . taxonomy already has enough chaos without robots jumping the gun .
should the practice of scraping and publishing theses become common , either the international commission on zoological nomenclature will have to adopt a set of rules suppressing involuntary publication , or students of taxonomy should be uniquely exempt from filing dissertations with unpublished results .
[ update : to clarify , these robo - books don’t automatically make a name available under iczn rules . a couple other conditions about the timing and deposition of the content must be met that may or may not be the case . ]
if you’re going to fail at taxonomy , you may as well fail big .
snelling , borowiec , and prebus 2014 from jasper ridge biological reserve , california , usa .
with the humous assistance of matt prebus and marek borowiec . the paper provides an illustrated key to species , range maps , and descriptions of ten new taxa . among the newbies is
that nests in trees” . at last ! a real name . the etymology of this entomology is given as :
when hernán cortéz was conquering central mexico , the nahua speaking people related to him tales of a fabulous land , ruled by women , far to the northwest that was rich in gold and gems . they named this land “caguatán” , the land of women . this tale presumably inspired cortéz and other avaricious conquistadors to search for this marvelous land , ultimately leading the spaniards to the californias .
if you’ve ever wondered why no single easy reference book exists for identifying north america’s ants , this is the reason . the state of taxonomy remains more rudimentary than you’d think , with many species still nameless or poorly understood . a few dozen more studies like roy’s and someone will finally be able to give our ants a decent guide .
source : snelling r , borowiec m , prebus m ( 2014 ) studies on california ants : a review of the genus temnothorax ( hymenoptera , formicidae ) . zookeys 372 : 27 - 89 . doi : 10 . 3897 / zookeys . 372 . 6039
the most infamous ant in the world is surely the tropical american bullet ant , paraponera clavata . this conspicuous insect is known for an unusually painful sting . it is not the only big rainforest ant , however , and other species are frequently mistaken for it .
here is how to make sure that big ant you saw was really a bullet ant .
1 . check your location : in the wild , bullet ants are only found in low - elevation forests from honduras south to paraguay . if you are not in central or south america , you don’t have a bullet ant . ( source )
2 . check the size : bullet ants are not just large , they are massive – over an inch long . they look like plastic toy ants brought to life .
3 . check for the characteristic thoracic horns . bullet ants have a pair of blunt horns on the first segment of the thorax . no other ant its size has the horns .
4 . check the shape of the petiolar node . the waist of the bullet ant has a sharp , forward - leaning triangular node .
south america ? check . massive ? check . horns ? check . forward - pointing waist segment ? check .
is an ubiquitous big rainforest ant with a shape confusingly similar to that of the bullet ant . but
is too small , as are the horns , and the waist segment is the wrong shape .
is common and also packs a painful sting , but this large species is not big enough to be a bullet ant and it lacks the horns .
leafcutter ant soldiers are big and even have the thoracic horns , but they aren’t big enough , they lack the right waist shape , and are their overall body proportions are different .
black turtle ants are common and conspicuous , but they are much smaller than bullet ants and have sharp spines rather than blunt horns .
is not quite big enough , its horns are more forward on the thorax , and it doesn’t have the right waist shape .
with any luck , you should now be able to check the identification of your purported bullet ant without having to run a sting test .
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forel , 1893 ( hymenoptera : formicidae ) . anais da sociedade entomolocica do brasil 15 : 377–378
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kutter h ( 1969 ) die sozialparasitischen ameisen der schweiz . neujahrsblatt der naturforschenden gesellschaft in zürich 171 : 1–62
lambardi d , dani fr , turillazzi s , boomsma jj ( 2007 ) chemical mimicry in an incipient leaf - cutting ant social parasite . behav ecol sociobiol 61 : 843–851
mayhé - nunes aj ( 1995 ) filogenia de los attini ( hym . , formicidae ) : un aporte al conocimiento de las hormigas fungívoras . universidad simón bolívar , caracas , venezuela , p 274
mayhé - nunes aj , jaffé k ( 1998 ) on the biogeography of attini ( hymenoptera : formicidae ) . ecotropicos 11 : 45–54
möller a ( 1893 ) die pilzgärten einiger südamerikanischer ameisen . botanische mittheilungen aus den tropen 6 : 1–142
mueller ug , gerardo nm , aanen dk , six dl , schultz tr ( 2005 ) the evolution of agriculture in insects . ann rev ecol evol syst 36 : 563–595
nash dr , boomsma jj ( 2008 ) communication between hosts and social parasites . in : hughes dp , d’ettorre p ( eds ) sociobiology of communication : an interdisciplinary perspective . oxford university press , oxford , pp 55–79
nonacs p , tobin je ( 1992 ) selfish larvae : development and the evolution of parasitic behavior in the hymenoptera . evolution 46 : 1605–1620
pagnocca fc , masiulionis ve , rodrigues a ( 2012 ) specialized fungal parasites and opportunistic fungi in gardens of attine ants . psyche j entomol . doi :
rabeling c , bacci m ( 2010 ) a new workerless inquiline in the lower attini ( hymenoptera : formicidae ) , with a discussion of social parasitism in fungus - growing ants . syst entomol 35 : 379–392
rabeling c , schultz tr , pierce ne , bacci m jr ( 2014b ) a social parasite evolved reproductive isolation from its fungus - growing ant host in sympatry . curr biol 24 : 2047–2052
savolainen r , vepsäläinen k ( 2003 ) sympatric speciation through intraspecific social parasitism . proc natl acad sci usa 100 : 7169–7174
ants are social parasites that attack old host colonies . j evol biol 27 : 2396–2407
schmid - hempel p ( 2011 ) evolutionary parasitology : the integrated study of infections , immunology , ecology , and genetics . oxford university press , new york
schultz tr , brady sg ( 2008 ) major evolutionary transitions in ant agriculture . proc natl acad sci usa 105 : 5435–5440
schultz tr , meier r ( 1995 ) a phylogenetic analysis of the fungus - growing ants ( hymenoptera : formicidae : attini ) based on morphological characters of the larvae . syst entomol 20 : 337–370
new species : an incipient social parasite of fungus - growing ants . insect soc 45 : 457–471
schultz tr , mueller ug , currie cr , rehner sa ( 2005 ) reciprocal illumination : a comparison of agriculture in humans and ants . in : vega f , blackwell m ( eds ) ecological and evolutionary advances in insect - fungal associations . oxford university press , new york , pp 149–190
seifert b ( 2010 ) intranidal mating , gyne polymorphism , polygyny , and supercoloniality as factors for sympatric and parapatric speciation in ants . ecol entomol 35 : 33–40
: number , relatedness and longevity of reproducing individuals . j evol biol 7 : 71–95
: taxonomy , evolution , and natural history of a new fungus - farming ant genus from brazil . plos one 8 ( 11 ) : e80498
sumner s , hughes woh , boomsma jj ( 2003a ) evidence for differential selection and potential adaptive evolution in the worker caste of an inquiline social parasite . behav ecol sociobiol 54 : 256–263
sumner s , nash dr , boomsma jj ( 2003b ) the adaptive significance of inquiline parasite workers . proc r soc lond ser b biol sci 270 : 1315–1322
leaf - cutting ants : a test of emery’s rule . insect soc 51 : 37–42
tschinkel wr ( 1996 ) a newly - discovered mode of colony founding among fire ants . insect soc 43 : 267–276
wcislo wt ( 1987 ) the roles of seasonality , host synchrony , and behaviour in the evolutions and distributions of nest parasites in hymenoptera ( insecta ) , with special reference to bees ( apoidea ) . biol rev 62 : 515–542
weber n ( 1957 ) dry season adaptations of fungus - growing ants and their fungi . anat rec 128 : 638
weber na ( 1972 ) gardening ants : the attines . memoirs of the american philosophical society , philadelphia
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, with an analysis of the anatomical parasitic syndrome ( hymenoptera : formicidae ) . insect soc 31 : 316–334
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( emery , 1887 ) ( hymenoptera : formicidae ) . revista de biología del uruguay 2 : 37–57
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“through our dna analysis , we learned that the new species is very closely related to the first ant ancestor that began growing fungal gardens , ” said sosa - calvo . “given this relationship , we can infer that some of c . abscondita ’s unique physical and behavioral characteristics hint at what the first agricultural ants and their predecessors looked and acted like . ”
the discovery of the new species entailed a multiyear excavation of intricate nests , delving down to a maximum of two meters beneath the surface . these nests were made up of a network of fragile tunnels and chambers that could be less than a millimeter in diameter .
ghost ants are nocturnal and forage for organic debris to grow their fungus gardens , which hang in curtain - like columns from the ceilings of their hidden underground chambers . the fungi that the ghost ants cultivate are probably not completely dependent upon their ant partners to survive and reproduce ; they may be capable of surviving independently . the ants , however , are obligatorily dependent on the fungi for their survival .
while theories about the origin of attine ants’ relationships with fungi remain a topic of debate , scientists generally support the hypothesis that ants first began to interact with fungi by sharing overlapping habitats . over the course of millions of years , this coincidental overlap between the two species developed into a tentative partnership ; a relationship in which the fungi and the ants could both survive and reproduce without closely interacting with each other . since its origin 50 million years ago , this relationship between fungi and ants has become obligatory in many attine species : neither the fungal species nor the ant species in the relationship can live without the other . this complex process of one organism evolving in concert with another is called coevolution .
understanding how attine ants developed their agricultural relationship with fungi could be extrapolated to improve human farming activities , including sustainable agriculture efforts and crop disease or pest management .
the publication is the result of an international collaboration amongst research institutions based in the u . s . , brazil and germany .
what did the t . rex say when challenged to an arm - wrestling contest ?
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we moved to illinois from tucson in 2008 . the naturalist in me cringed at the relocation . tucson is surrounded by rich natural deserts , national parks , and state forests . champaign - urbana is buried in a monotony of industrial corn / soy production . illinois nature was more than 90 % plowed under years ago and hasn’t returned .
yet the midwest has its buggy bright points . what’s left of the local ant fauna remains mostly native and hosts an array of fascinating social parasites . the famous 13 - year periodical cicadas emerged again in 2011 . and the fireflies ! the common eastern firefly photinus pyralis launches a tremendous show in june and july . western fireflies for the most part don’t glow as adults . i missed them when i live in arizona .
i’d been telling mrs . myrmecos every year since the move , “this is the summer i finally shoot the fireflies ! ” and then , for various reasons , i fail to follow through . for a specialized insect photographer to not have photographs of the most spectacular local insect phenomenon was getting ridiculous .
my schedule this past summer finally conspired to allow plenty of evening firefly time , though , so i went at them with a vengeance . if you haven’t seen the results , i’ve uploaded them here :
learning to shoot fireflies on the wing wasn’t easy , but i can distill the strategy down to one key point : spend a few evenings watching the animals behave . each species has a particular courtship pattern , this pattern is predictable , and if you learn it you’re much more likely to know where to put the camera and when to time the shot . photinus pyralis males have a six - second cycle : swoop upward while lit , hover for a couple seconds to watch for a female return signal , the fly forward a few feet to begin the next run .
after some practice hand - holding a pre - focused camera rig and flash , i was able to not only get a flying firefly in focus , i was able to plan for particular backdrops . the photograph above shows a male at the height of his ascent , watching for females .
if you’d like a print , this photograph is one of 30 i’ve included in the holiday print sale , running until january 1 .
canon ef 50mm f / 1 . 4 usm & 12mm extension tube on a canon eos 6d
the next series of posts - behind the photo – will feature the stories behind images i’ve included in this year’s print sale . first up : the brutish male dung beetles in this 2009 creation .
these insects were given to me by biologist emilie snell - rood , who at the time was working in armin’s moczek’s evo - devo lab , with the hope that i might photograph live animals of different shapes and sizes for use in moczek lab papers , web pages , and talks . live photos make compelling stories , after all , and onthopagus taurus has an especially interesting one . it’s about how new body parts evolve .
males of this species employ varying strategies to reach females . the larger ones sport horns and fight over mates , while the smaller hornless ones bear a striking enough resemblance to females to slip past their rivals unrecognized as males . since beetles that are otherwise genetically identical either sprout horns as they develop or don’t , they’ve become a fantastic model for questions about why and how new structures form . biologists can watch the horns grow , or not grow , all within a single sex of a single species . they can also examine the process in related beetles , and make comparisons that allow inferences about how ecology interacts with genomes to produce new horns . if you’re intrigued , you can catch up with the research
my photograph of the dueling male beetles is not a natural scene , of course . wild beetles fight in underground tunnels , face - to - face , not in the gleaming open air of a photography studio , so this scene is less documentation of real world behavior that a stylized illustration of male variation .
the challenge of taking this photograph was two - fold . first , dung beetles are shiny . to capture the subtleties of texture on such a reflective animal , i needed extremely soft lighting . so i fired an upward - facing flash off in a white box . a white box is what it sounds like - a box that’s all white on the inside . the box i used for the above photo is pictured at left , an old toilet paper box with printer paper taped to the inside .
the second challenge was the hyperactivity of the beetles themselves . getting two feisty insects to perform for a well - composed shot took a long time and a lot of attempts . here is a sample of mostly throwaways from the session :
if you’d like to purchase a print , the dueling beetles photograph is one of 30 i’ve included in the holiday print sale , running until january 1 . i have reprocessed the image up from the original raw file just for this event .
canon 100mm f / 2 . 8 macro lens on a canon eos 20d .
velvet ant ; 12×18″ print on a 3 / 4″ standout mount . sale price $ 15 . 99 / $ 42 . 99 unmounted / mounted . ( regular $ 60 / $ 120 )
i am pleased to announce the return of the holiday print sale ! this year’s selection features 30 favorite photographs reduced up to 70 % off regular pricing . have a look :
using high - quality papers and archival photo inks . these are not simple posters ! bay photo will also custom mount , mat & frame images if you choose “add frames & more” when you check out .
why the sale ? i know a portion of my photos go to biology students looking for something buggy to hang on their walls , and to parents of budding young entomologists , and these folks are not in the demographic that typically plays in the fine art market . so i’ve assembled an affordable gallery of some of my best known and biologically informative natural history images priced near cost . an 8×12″ print , for example , is just $ 9 . 99 . i hope you enjoy them !


the brazilian three-banded armadillo ( tolypeutes tricinctus ) is an armadillo species endemic to brazil , where it is known as tatu-bola ( [ tɐˈtu ˈbɔlɐ ] , lit . ball armadillo ) .

it is one of only two species of armadillo ( the other is the southern three-banded armadillo ) that can roll into a ball .

it has suffered a 30 % decline in population in the last 10 years .

brazilian three - banded armadillo

two species of three - banded armadillos are recognized : the brazilian three - banded armadillo ( t . tricinctus ) , and the southern three - banded armadillo ( t . matacus ) . three - banded armadillos are the only armadillo species that can roll into a ball .
the brazilian three - banded armadillo occurs in the cerrado biodiversity hotspot ( cons . intl . 2005 ) .
the brazilian three - banded armadillo ( tolypeutes tricinctus ) and the southern three - banded armadillo ( tolypeutes matacus ) are the only species who can roll themselves into a ball .
habitat brazilian three - banded armadillos are endemic to brazil , south america . subspecies there are no subspecies of the brazilian three - banded armadillo . interesting facts the word armadillo is spanish for
little armored one
in brazil they are known as tatu - bola . the southern three - banded armadillo and the brazilian three - banded armadillo are the only two species of armadillo that can completely roll themselves into a ball to defend themselves from predators . similar animals southern three - banded armadillo
rodrigo castro coordinates the brazilian three - banded armadillo project at the caatinga association and is passionate about the species .
the brazilian three - banded armadillo is classified as vulnerable ( vu ) on the iucn red list ( 1 ) .
armadillos belong to the dasypodidae family . there are 20 species of armadillos , including the nine - banded armadillo , the giant armadillo , the common long - nosed armadillo , and the brazilian three - banded armadillo .
pictures : brazilian three - banded armadillo ( 85 kb jpeg ) ( armad . online ) , related species - southern three - banded armadillo ( tolypeutes matacus ) ( 40 kb jpeg ) ( terrambiente )
the fact that the three - banded armadillo is a vulnerable species is very fitting .
the mascot of the 2014 fifa world cup – the brazilian three - banded armadillo – remains vulnerable as its population continues to decline .
de oliveira , t . g . 1995 . the brazilian three - banded armadillo tolypeutes tricinctus in maranhão . edentata 2 : 18 - 19 .
the three - banded armadillo is the only species that can roll into a ball for protection .
the southern three - banded armadillo , also called the la plata three - banded armadillo , is an armadillo species from south america . it is native to parts of northern argentina , southwestern brazil , paraguay and bolivia .
it’s official ! the brazilian three - banded armadillo ( tolypeutes tricinctus ) is the mascot of the 2014 fifa world cup which will take place in brazil .
the brazilian three - banded armadillo mainly occurs in caatinga habitat , but it is also found in the eastern parts of cerrado habitat ( iucn 2006 ) .
the brazilian three - banded armadillo is listed as a vulnerable species and is the basis of the fuleco mascot that will feature on official merchandise and souvenirs .
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according to our latest research in the brazilian market fuleco is known by 95 % of the brazilian population .
the three - banded armadillo , named for the three distinctive bands on its shell and found in northeastern brazil , was introduced as the mascot in september .
over the last 10 - 12 years , the brazilian three - banded armadillo has declined due to heavy hunting , range loss , and habitat loss and degradation ( iucn 2006 ) .
although the brazilian three - banded armadillo was listed as vulnerable by the iucn ( the international union for conservation of nature ) almost two decades ago , its situation is even more desperate now .
the southern three - banded armadillo is indigenous to central south america , ranging between argentina , brazil , paraguay , and bolivia .
“the fact that the three - banded armadillo is a vulnerable species is very fitting , ” said fifa secretary general jerome valcke .
marinho , j . , m . marques guimarães , et al . 1997 . the discovery of the brazilian three - banded armadillo in the cerrado of central brazil . edentata 3 : 11 - 13 .
the brazilian three - banded armadillo occurs in central and northeastern brazil . it has been recorded from the states of bahia , ceará , pernambuco , alagoas , sergipe , piaui , mato grosso ( extreme east central ) , goias , the federal district , minas gerais ( extreme northwest ) , tocantins . paraiba and rio grande do norte . the brazilian three - banded armadillo has probably disappeared over much of its range , and it occurs at very low population densities . the brazilian three - banded armadillo is estimated to have experienced a population decline of more than 30 % over the last 10 - 12 years . ( iucn 2006 )
the brazilian three - banded armadillo gave life to fuleco , but fuleco has achieved very little for the three - banded armadillo . we hope that millions of people watching the matches will become aware of the plight of this animal and that the world cup will have an impact on the fate of the species ,
rodrigo castro told the bbc .
the brazilian three - banded armadillo is easily captured and is hunted for food . its habitat is naturally fragmented and threatened by agricultural development , cutting for charcoal and mining for the underlying calcareous deposits . ( nowak 1999 )
southern three - banded armadillos are the only armadillo species that can roll up into a ball , enclosing its vulnerable parts inside its shell . baby southern three - banded armadillos are born blind and can ' t roll up like this at first .
the 9 - banded armadillo has 4 identical pups in every litter , either all male or all female , and the 7 - banded armadillo produces between 8 and 15 identical offspring .
fifa says more than 1 . 7 million people in brazil took part in the vote to select the name for the three - banded armadillo .
the brazilian three - banded armadillo is found in dry , open country . it is believed to feed mainly on termites , but it may also eat other invertebrates and fruit . it obtains its insect prey by probing into the ground , under bark , and into nests with its powerful forelegs and claws . the brazilian three - banded armadillo occurs in central and northeastern brazil . this armadillo has probably disappeared over much of its range , and it occurs at very low population densities . its population has declined more than 30 % in recent years . the brazilian three - banded armadillo is easily captured and is hunted for food . its habitat is naturally fragmented and threatened by agricultural development , cutting for charcoal and mining .
like most armadillos , the southern three - banded is covered in plates of leathery armor that protect it from predator s . but what makes this armadillo special is its ability to roll completely into a ball . the neighboring brazilian three - banded armadillo is the only other armadillo with this adaptation . the adaptation works well in the wild—only jaguars , alligators , and pumas are powerful enough to punch through the protective plates .
1 . the nine - banded armadillo is the only species found in the u . s .
yes , they can ! three - banded armadillos tolypeutes sp . ( cingulata : dasypodidae ) dig their own burrows
until its rediscovery in the early 1990s , it was believed that the brazilian three - banded armadillo ( tolypeutes tricinctus ) had become extinct ( 1 ) . this species can be distinguished by its blackish - brown armour plating , which covers the body , head and tail . the plating on the body forms two domed shells , separated by three armoured bands which are joined together by flexible bands of skin . these flexible regions allow the brazilian three - banded armadillo to roll into a ball , thereby protecting its vulnerable underparts . it is one of only two species , the other being the southern three - banded armadillo , capable of this remarkable feat . other distinctive features of the brazilian three - banded armadillo are the second , third and fourth toes of the hind feet , which are fused into a hoof - like claw . by contrast , the fore feet have five separate digits each bearing sharp , powerful claws ( 2 )
the three - banded armadillo is among the most poorly known species of armadillo , and is a priority for research , especially in its ecology , conservation , population genetics , reproduction , and threats .
scientists have called on fifa and the brazilian government to designate parts of the armadillo ' s dry forest habitat as protected areas .
earlier this month the brazilian environment ministry invited a group of over 30 scientists , including miranda and castro , to meet for a week in the natural reserve of serra das almas , in the northeastern state of ceara , to help draw up a five year national action plan for the conservation of the brazilian three - banded armadillo .
the outcome depends to a great extent on fifa . we still hope it will understand this is the first ever world cup that could leave a lasting legacy for biodiversity , helping to save the brazilian three - banded armadillo from extinction
.
sao paulo ( ap ) — brazilians have selected the name
fuleco
for the three - banded armadillo mascot for the 2014 world cup after a three - month voting process that was derided by fans as undemocratic .
sanborn cc ( 1930 ) distribution and habits of the three - banded armadillo ( tolypeutes ) . journal of mammalogy 11 : 61 - 69 . [ links ]
brazilian ngo , associação caatinga , led the campaign to make the brazilian three - banded armadillo the mascot of the 2014 fifa world cup . the iucn ssc anteater , sloth and armadillo specialist group , along with the nature conservancy , have now joined associação caatinga as partners in the next stage of the campaign to increase awareness of this wonderful species and generate additional funding for conservation .
three - banded armadillos are blackish brown in color . most animals have three moveable bands , although some possess only two , and others may have four . members of the genus
the official 2014 world cup mascot , the brazilian three - banded armadillo ( the tolypeutes tricinctus ) , a creature that is indigenous to brazil , is seen in this undated handout image released to reuters september 16 , 2012 . reuters / fifa / handout
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diet in zoo : the three banded armadillo is fed a diet of insectivore pellets ( moistened in water ) as well as vegetables / fruit and super worms daily .
the southern three - banded armadillo can be found in a number of locations including : south america . find out more about these places and what else lives there .
the three - banded armadillo , which is in danger of extinction , rolls up into the shape of a ball when threatened and is commonly found in northeastern brazil .
cardoso da silva , j . m . and d . c . oren . 1993 . observations on the habitat and distribution of the brazilian three - banded armadillo tolypeutes tricinctus , a threatened caatinga endemic . mammalia 57 ( 1 ) : 149 - 152 .
fifa and the local organising committee ( loc ) are excited to introduce one of the most high - profile ambassadors of the 2014 fifa world cup™ : a unique brazilian three - banded armadillo ( the tolypeutes tricinctus ) , a creature that is indigenous to brazil .
three - banded armadillos can roll completely into a ball . can you think of other animals that have evolved defensive adaptations ?
sanborn , c . c . ( 1930 ) distribution and habits of the three - banded armadillo ( tolypeutes ) . journal of mammalogy , 11 : 61 - 69 .
bernier d ( 2003 ) north american regional studbook for the southern three - banded armadillo ( tolypeutes matacus ) . chicago , lincoln park zoo , 49p . [ links ]
the mascot was officially launched as part of brazilian broadcaster tv globo’s weekly fantástico entertainment show , where he was welcomed by brazilian football legend and member of the loc management board , ronaldo .
in the last evaluation of the brazilian list of endangered species last year , the three - banded armadillo moved from ' vulnerable ' to ' in danger ' because it lost nearly 50 % of its habitat in the last 15 years ( three generations for the animal ) ,
said flavia miranda , deputy chair of the anteater , sloth and armadillo specialist group at the iucn .
sanborn , c . c . 1930 . distribution and habits of the three - banded armadillo ( tolypeutes ) . journal of mammalogy 11 ( 1 ) : 61 - 69 .
fifa said the mascot , unveiled by former brazil striker ronaldo during a television programme late on sunday , represented the three - banded armadillo , an endangered species indigenous to brazil .
the following habitats are found across the southern three - banded armadillo distribution range . find out more about these environments , what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them .
the brazilian three - banded armadillo faces the dual threats of heavy hunting pressure and habitat loss . this species’ habit of rolling into ball when threatened means that it is easily caught for food , and it has therefore suffered heavy losses throughout its range ( 1 ) ( 3 ) . in addition , its habitat has been degraded and destroyed by expanding agriculture , mining and charcoal harvesting ( 2 ) . with a low reproductive rate , the brazilian three - banded armadillo is unable to tolerate the overexploitation that is occurring and has been driven to extinction in several localities ( 3 )
habitat loss is a challenge for many species , including the southern three - banded armadillo . during the 20 th century , the rich rio de la plata river basin underwent agricultural development ; the habitat changed from a flood plain to cultivate d fields of crop s such as soy and sorghum . today , the southern three - banded armadillo is classified as a near threatened species .
the name armadillo is spanish and means ‘little armoured one’ . the most common and populated armadillo is the nine - banded armadillo ( dasypus novemcinctus ) who has extended its range in central america due to lack of natural predators .
* * * the brazilian three - banded armadillo and its close relative tolypeutes matacus are the only two armadillos that can completely enclose themselves by rolling into a ball . there is considerable space in its shell into which it can fit its head , legs , and tail when it rolls up .
but fifa and the brazilian government were less committed . pressed by an international news agency , fifa declared that fuleco “helped to raise awareness in brazil about the three - banded armadillo and its status of vulnerable species” , but said that the mascot is not being “used to promote specific environmental messages” .
the brazilian three - banded armadillo is threatened by heavy hunting pressure and habitat loss . one of the main causes of deforestation in the caatinga - one of the areas this species of armadillo is found - is the extraction of native forest for the production of firewood . plantations of biofuel crops and cattle ranching are additional problems that significantly affect its habitat .
another growing threat to all armadillos is habitat destruction : all species except the nine - banded armadillo dasypus novemcinctus are decreasing in population . five armadillo species are classified as vulnerable .
“we are sure that the fact that a threatened species is featured in such an important event will not only trigger conservation initiatives to save the brazilian three - banded armadillo from extinction , but also help increase awareness for biodiversity conservation in general , ” said dr mariella superina , chair , iucn species survival commission ( ssc ) anteater , sloth and armadillo specialist group .
brazilian three - banded armadillo ( tolypeutes tricinctus ) – endemic to brazil , south america . one of only 2 species of armadillo that can roll itself into a ball . preferred habitat is savannas and dry woodland . main diet includes ants and termites . also eats mollusks , worms , fruit and carrion . it has a long sticky tongue to lap up ants .
of the 20 varieties of armadillo , all but one live in latin america . the familiar nine - banded armadillo is the only species that includes the united states in its range .
this unique defensive strategy helped the three - banded armadillo survive 140 million years of evolution but it makes it vulnerable to human beings , because when it rolls into a ball it remains still
.
this poorly known species , which is found only in brazil , is listed as vulnerable on the iucn red list of threatened species™ . it was believed to be extinct until it was rediscovered in 1988 in a handful of locations . the brazilian three - banded armadillo is quite unique as when threatened , it rolls up into an almost impenetrable ball with its ears tucked into the shell and the head and tail interlocked to seal the shell completely . it is one of only two species of armadillo ( the other is the southern three - banded armadillo ) that can roll into a ball .
due to the fact that the southern three - banded armadillo does not dig a burrow , it is easier to hunt than other armadillo species , and faces high - levels of hunting pressure across its range ( 1 ) ( 5 ) . this threat is compounded by the conversion of large amounts of its species ' habitat to agricultural land . as a result , the southern three - banded armadillo is undergoing a significant decline and may soon warrant threatened status ( 1 ) .
the brazilian three - banded armadillo is the only armadillo species endemic to brazil . while this species has probably disappeared from much of its historical range , it has been recorded in the states of bahia , ceará , pernambuco , alagoas , sergipe , piauí , mato grosso , goiás , the federal district , minas gerais , tocantins , paraíba and rio grande do norte ( 1 ) .
“the mascot will play a key ambassadorial role in the next two years , ” said ronaldo , who played in three world cups and was an unused squad member in 1994 , on brazilian television .
the topeka zoo is excited about the arrival of their newest southern three - banded armadillo . the spherically prone boy was born may 5 th and is the third offspring of mom , ‘erin’ , and dad , ‘mulligan’ .
this iucn red list update also includes the re - assessment of the 2014 fifa world cup mascot , the brazilian three - banded armadillo tolypeutes tricinctus . the species is believed to have declined by more than a third over the last 10 to15 years due to a 50 % loss of its dry shrubland caatinga habitat . its status remains vulnerable .
nine - banded armadillos are known for often giving birth to four identical pups .
brazilians choose name for 2014 world cup mascot fifa says more than 1 . 7 million people in brazil took part in the vote to select the name for the three - banded armadillo . check out this story on urltoken urltoken
gestation for an armadillo lasts 60 to 120 days , depending on the species . some species , such as the southern three - banded armadillo , will have litter sizes that range from one to eight . the young are born with soft , leathery skin , which hardens within a few weeks . they reach sexual maturity in three to 12 months , depending on species .
the species , along with the brazilian three - banded armadillo , is the only armadillo capable of rolling into a complete ball for defense and protection . the three characteristic bands that cover the back of the animal allow it enough flexibility to fit its tail and head together , allowing it to protect its underbelly , limbs , eyes , nose and ears from predators . the shell covering its body is armored and the outer layer is made out of keratin , the same protein that builds human fingernails .
marinho - filho , j . , guimarăes , m . m . , reis , m . l . , rodrigues , f . h . g . , torres , o . and de almeida , g . ( 1997 ) the discovery of the brazilian three - banded armadillo in the cerrado of central brazil . edentata , 3 : 11 - 13 .
due to the fact that the southern three - banded armadillo does not dig a burrow , and has the habit of rolling into a ball when threatened , it is easier to hunt than other armadillo species , and faces high - levels of hunting pressure across its range ( 1 ) ( 5 ) . this threat is compounded by the conversion of large amounts of its species’ habitat to agricultural land . as a result , the southern three - banded armadillo is undergoing a significant decline and may soon warrant threatened status ( 1 ) .
while the three - banded armadillos might be cute , they are just like every animal and part of a food web . historically , this armadillo has been hunted for food and for sale to either zoos or the exotic pet market .
the brazilian three - banded armadillo occurs in two distinct regional ecosystems , the cerrado region in central brazil , characterised by savanna and dry - forest ( 3 ) ; and the caatinga region in north - east brazil , characterised by dry shrubland and thorn forest ( 4 ) . both regions have well defined dry and wet seasons ( 3 ) ( 4 ) .
armadillos are classed as a ‘threatened’ species except for the nine - banded armadillo whose population is expanding . major threats are habitat loss and over - hunting . armadillo flesh is consumed in the americas by some cultures .
but three years after the announcement of the mascot we were disappointed to see that not a single action specifically focused on protecting this endangered species or its habitat had been put into practice by fifa and the brazilian government .
the final mascot design was chosen after fifa and the loc had analysed 47 different proposals created by six different brazilian agencies . the designs were further analysed through extensive research carried out amongst its primary target audience , brazilian children between the ages of five and twelve , with the favourite being the armadillo , created by 100 % design .
the southern three - banded armadillo is commonly found in the most arid parts of the gran chaco ( 1 ) , but also occurs in areas of grassland and marshland between scattered forests in the state of mato grosso , brazil ( 3 ) .
the southern three - banded armadillo is commonly found in the most arid parts of the gran chaco ( 1 ) , but also occurs in areas of grassland and marshland between scattered forests in the state of mato grosso , brazil ( 3 ) .
these days , the san diego zoo and san diego zoo safari park have three - banded armadillos that serve as excellent animal ambassadors , meeting guests up close and making television appearances .
the brazilian three - banded armadillo ( tolypeutes tricinctus ) can roll itself into a ball so tight that only a puma ' s claws can penetrate its protective shell . but this evolutionary advantage hasn ' t done much to protect the species from humans , who have turned savannah habitats into inhospitable cattle ranches and soybean plantations . once found throughout brazil , the armadillos—one of 20 armadillo species that live through much of north and south america—are now restricted to several shrinking pockets of habitat . scientists estimate that the brazilian species ' s population has dropped by as much as 30 percent in the past decade .
cuellar e ( 2002 ) census of the three - banded armadillo tolypeutes matacus using dogs , southern chaco , bolivia . mammalia 66 : 448 - 451 . doi : 10 . 1515 / mamm . 2002 . 66 . 3 . 439 [ links ]
finally , we asked that the brazilian government to accelerate the completion of the armadillo’s species conservation plan . for 20 years the armadillos have been listed as vulnerable , without any formal plan to improve their status .
the southern three - banded armadillo is found in a number of protected areas , which provide a refuge from the habitat destruction that is occurring within its range . in addition , a captive population of this species is maintained in north america ( 1 ) .
the southern three - banded armadillo is found in a number of protected areas , which provide a refuge from the habitat destruction that is occurring within its range . in addition , a captive population of this species is maintained in north america ( 1 ) .
the three - banded armadillo has a long , sticky , straw - like pink tongue that allows it to gather up and eat many different species of insects , typically ants and termites . in captivity , armadillos also eat foods such as fruits and vegetables .
the remaining forested regions are intensely used as sources of both industrial and domestic fuelwood and extensive livestock ranching . more than 20 million people live within the caatinga , most among the poorest in brazil , boosting the hunting pressure on the three - banded armadillo .
contrary to popular belief , not all armadillos are able to encase themselves in their shells . in fact , only the three - banded armadillo can , curling its head and back feet and contorting its shell into a hard ball that confounds would - be predators .
the female brazilian three - banded armadillo produces only a single young in each litter , which is born extremely well - developed , having the appearance of a miniature version of the adult . the young is almost immediately able to walk and roll into a ball , but remains with the parent until weaned at around 72 days old . sexual maturity is reached at around 9 to 12 months ( 2 ) .
conservation message : the biggest threat to their species is hunting pressures . humans find them easy to catch and kill . another major threat to the brazilian three banded armadillo is habitat destruction from both mining ( charcoal ) and agricultural developments in their native ranges . the two things most frequently grown in their home ranges are sugar cane and soybean plantations . other large plots of land are being cleared to house livestock .
bolkovic ml , caziani sm , protomastro jj ( 1995 ) food habits of the three - banded armadillo ( xenarthra : dasypodidae ) in the dry chaco of argentina . journal of mammalogy 76 : 1199 - 1204 . doi : 10 . 2307 / 1382612 [ links ]
what lives in brazil and looks like a football ? brazil’s official world cup mascot . the three - banded armadillo is a mammal native to brazil’s dry tropical forests , and rolls into a ball when threatened . but nearly half of the armadillos’ habitat has been cleared .
baby armadillos are called pups . according to the san diego zoo , twin births are common . 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 .
three - banded armadillos live mainly in brazil’s arid northeast and are threatened by habitat destruction . they are unusual among armadillos in that they can roll up into a ball to defend themselves from predators .
judging by the many cartoonish depictions of armadillos curling up into tight balls and rolling away , you ' d assume that most species would be capable of this defense mechanism . but the only armadillos equipped with this adorable ability are the two species belonging to the tolypeutes genus , also known as the brazilian and southern three - banded armadillos . all other armadillo species have too many plates , making this kind of flexibility impossible .
but then the brazilian government , perhaps worried about its image abroad , finally announced on may 22 , the publication of the species´ conservation action plan .
from the 11 armadillo species found in brazil , only two have the ability to roll into a ball : the one that inspired the mascot , which is endemic to brazil , and another species , the southern three - banded armadillo , tolypeutes matacus , that can be found not only in southwestern brazil but also in argentina , paraguay and bolivia
.
the southern three banded armadillo is remarkable for being one of the few armadillo species capable of rolling into a ball ( 2 ) . the armour - plating that covers the body is divided into two domed shells , with three armoured bands in between , joined by flexible bands of skin . these flexures allow the body to bend in the middle , snapping the lower edges of the two body shells together , thereby forming an impregnable ball ( 2 ) ( 3 ) . other distinctive features of the southern three - banded armadillo are the second , third and fourth toes of the hind feet , which are fused into a hoof - like claw . by contrast , the fore feet have four separate digits each bearing sharp , powerful claws ( 3 )
the southern three - banded armadillo is found from eastern bolivia and south - western brazil , south through the gran chaco region of paraguay , to the province of buenos aires in argentina . it is known to occur from sea level up to elevations of 770 m ( 1 ) .
bolković , m . l . , caziani , s . m . and protomastro , j . j . ( 1995 ) food habits of the three - banded armadillo ( xenarthra : dasypodidae ) in the dry chaco , argentina . journal of mammalogy , 76 : 1199 - 1204 .
the southern three - banded armadillo is found from eastern bolivia and south - western brazil , south through the gran chaco region of paraguay , to the province of buenos aires in argentina . it is known to occur from sea level up to elevations of 770 m ( 1 ) .
fifa has not responded directly to the challenge set in biotropica magazine , but in a statement sent to the bbc , it said that choosing fuleco as the official mascot
has helped to raise awareness in brazil around the three - banded armadillo and its status as a vulnerable species .
over the next several weeks , hundreds of millions of people around the world will sit and cheer in front of their televisions and computer screens as the 2014 fifa world cup takes place in brazil . some of the world ' s top athletes will be on display during the month - long soccer competition that runs from june 12 through july 13 — and so will the world cup mascot , a brazilian three - banded armadillo named fuleco .
there are 20 armadillo species in the americas ; most live in central or south america . only the nine - banded armadillo is native to the united states . as body size and food sources vary , so do the home range and habitat of each armadillo species . in fact , everything varies when you ' re talking about armadillos !
gestation period lasts 120 days after which a single , blind infant is born . infants are able to roll into balls within a few hours of birth . infants are weaned at 10 weeks and reach sexual maturity at 9 – 12 months . life span is up to 15 years in the wild . brazilian three - banded armadillos are classed as a ‘vulnerable’ species .
while these peculiar creatures spend the majority of their time eating or sleeping , armadillos have also been known to get silly from time to time . in the video above , a southern three - banded armadillo named rollie plays with a toy bear at a zoo in green bay , wisconsin .
the screaming hairy armadillo gets its name from the sound it makes when threatened .
the armadillo mascot for the brazil 2014 world cup poses for photographs in october .
blackish - brown in coloration , the three banded armadillo can reach between 218 and 273mm in length and weigh 1 . 0 - 1 . 5 kg . it’s shell is comprised of two dome halves that are separated by three individual bands of shell . all of the shells moving pieces are connected by flexible skin . the brazilian and the southern three banded armadillos are the only two species to be able to curl into a complete ball . their tails fit along side their heads perfectly to close any gaps that might allow predators access . both the front and back feet on this armadillo have five toes . in the back , the middle three toes grow together but are separate from the outer toes . in the front , however , all five toes are separate . the front toes each have a long claw on which the animal travels ( he does not actually place his foot on the ground ) . these claws are very powerful and are used to dig .
over the course of the world cup , it seems obvious that more people will see fuleco than will see actual brazilian three - banded armadillos . the rare animals , which live only in western brazil , were thought to be extinct until they were rediscovered in a few remote locations in the 1990s . today they are considered vulnerable to extinction , mostly due to habitat loss .
scientific projects aimed at the long - term conservation of the brazilian three - banded armadillo resulting from this funding will be coordinated by the deputy chair of the iucn ssc anteater , sloth and armadillo specialist group , dr flávia miranda . projects will include ; scientific research ; campaigns to raise awareness for conservation issues among the general public , especially , the local population ; the creation of protected areas ; and other actions that will help reduce the pressures on the brazilian three - banded armadillo , known locally as “tatu - bola” . found mainly in dry thorn scrub of north - eastern brazil , but also in bush savannah in central brazil , this species of armadillo does not dig holes but instead lives in abandoned burrows . measuring about 27cm , it is nocturnal and feeds on ants and termites as well as any grubs or spiders it encounters . it finds food by shuffling slowly along with its nose to the ground . when it detects prey , it frantically digs a hole and thrusts its nose into it , using its long , sticky tongue to lap up any food it finds .
designers focused on the armadillo ' s cutest qualities to create fuleco the fifa mascot . ( photo of armadillo : heather paul / flickr ; fuleco courtesy of fifa )
three - banded armadillos may be found at densities of up to 7 animals per square kilometer . they are primarily solitary , although groups of up to 12 have been observed sharing the same den site during cold spells .
all armadillos live in central and south america , except for one 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 . since the mid - 19th century , nine - banded armadillos have expanded northward . they have been seen in florida and are now common in missouri . in 2000 , the body of a nine - banded armadillo was found in central illinois , according to adw .
an armadillo ' s armor is made up of overlapping plates covering the back , head , legs and tail . the number of armored bands identifies the different species , according to the san diego zoo . only one species , the three - banded armadillo , can roll itself into a hard armored ball to defend itself against 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 .
although all armadillo species originate from south america , only the nine - banded armadillo ( dasypus novemcinctus ) has made it far enough north into the united states . if you happen to live in the south , it ' s not uncommon to find these critters rooting around in your backyard ( or sadly , on the side of the road ) . this is especially true in hot , rainy environments like texas , which named the nine - banded armadillo its state small mammal .
the armadillo , which is in danger of extinction , rolls up into the shape of a ball when threatened . the mascot carries the colors of the brazilian flag — the armadillo is yellow , with green shorts and a blue shell and tail . it is dressed in a white shirt with the words
brazil 2014
written on it .
tolypeutes comprises tolypeutes matacus ( desmarest , 1804 ) and tolypeutes tricinctus ( linnaeus , 1758 ) , both species with the unique ability to roll into an almost perfect ball as a defense mechanism ( eisenberg & redford 1999 , wetzel et al . 2008 ) . these armadillo species have an average head plus body length of 25 cm and an average weight of 1 . 1 kg ( eisenberg & redford 1999 ) . the southern three - banded armadillo , t . matacus , is found primarily in the dry forests of the central region of south america , including western brazil , eastern and southern bolivia , western and northern paraguay , and northern argentina . the brazilian three - banded armadillo , t . tricinctus , occurs exclusively in the semi - arid scrub forests and savannas of the northeastern and central regions of brazil ( wetzel et al . 2008 , feijó et al . 2015 ) .
the fact that the three - banded armadillo is a vulnerable species is very fitting ,
fifa secretary general jerome valcke said in a statement .
one of the key objectives through the 2014 fifa world cup is to use the event as a platform to communicate the importance of the environment and ecology .
the southern three banded armadillo is remarkable for being one of the few armadillo species capable of rolling into a ball ( 2 ) . the armour - plating that covers the body is divided into two domed shells , with three armoured bands in between , joined by flexible bands of skin . these flexures allow the body to bend in the middle , snapping the lower edges of the two body shells together to form a sphere , with the bony plates covering the head and tail neatly slotting together into a gap between the adjoined body shells , thereby closing it off completely ( 2 ) ( 3 ) . other distinctive features of the southern three - banded armadillo are the second , third and fourth toes of the hind feet , which bear hoof - like claws , while in contrast , the fore feet possess sharp , powerful claws ( 3 ) .
in order to stop its rapid decline , the brazilian three - banded armadillo requires urgent conservation action . it has been recommended that reintroduction programs be implemented to restore this species to areas of its former range , along with the provision of educational materials to highlight its plight and reduce hunting pressure ( 3 ) . it is uncertain if this species is found in any protected areas , although it hoped that a population might occur in grande sertão veredas national park in northern minas gerais ( 1 ) .
the caatinga dry forest once covered nearly 845 , 000 square km or about 11 % of the brazilian territory , but has now been reduced to half of its original area .
owing to its scarcity , relatively little is known about the biology of the brazilian three - banded armadillo ( 2 ) . like other armadillos , the diet of this species is likely to comprise invertebrates , particularly termites and ants , which are obtained by using its powerful fore claws to tear open mounds ( 2 ) ( 5 ) . it does not appear to seek refuge in burrows , and instead relies upon its ability to roll into an impregnable ball when threatened ( 1 ) ( 2 ) .
smith p ( 2007 ) southern three - banded armadillo tolypeutes matacus ( desmarest , 1804 ) . in : smith p ( ed . ) fauna paraguay : handbook of the mammals of paraguay . vol . 2 . available online at : available online at : urltoken [ accessed : 08 / 08 / 2016 ] [ links ]
the giant armadillo can have up to 100 teeth , according to the san diego zoo .
a cute armadillo stands on its hind legs . ( photo : ondrej prosicky / shutterstock )
the southern three - banded armadillo is typically yellow or brownish in color . they are among the smaller armadillos , with a total body length of about 8 . 7 to 10 . 6 inches ( 22 to 27 cm ) and a weight of between 2 . 2 and 3 . 5 lbs ( 1 and 1 . 6 kg ) .
the southern three - banded armadillo has an interesting mode of locomotion , walking on its hind - legs with the tips of the foreclaws touching the ground ( 3 ) . although when threatened this species is capable of running remarkably quickly to escape , more commonly it curls into a ball , which even strong - jawed predators such as dogs are unable to break open ( 3 ) ( 6 ) . as an additional defence , while curled up , the southern three - banded armadillo will leave a small gap between the edges of the body shells open . when the predator inserts a claw or snout into this gap in an attempt to reach the soft body parts , the armadillo quickly closes it , causing pain and possibly injury to the predator ( 6 ) ( 7 ) .
in related news , the southern three - banded armadillo ( t . matacus ) will be the mascot for the 2014
sport your trainers
campaign , where people in scotland will pledge to wear sneakers (
trainers
) in support of that year ' s commonwealth games . that mascot won ' t be a cartoon , though : a real armadillo named dillon , a resident of the edinburgh zoo , will fill the role .
fifa said the three options were chosen by a
high - profile judging committee
that included former brazil player bebeto and brazilian celebrities and politicians . organizers said it wouldn ' t have been feasible to allow fans to send in suggestions because the names needed to fulfill several legal requirements involving trademarks and other rights .
an armadillo ' s hard shell is simply modified skin that serves as one way this unusual animal protects itself . when an armadillo feels threatened , it usually runs , digs , or presses its body down in the dirt to keep from getting flipped over . the three - banded armadillo is the only species that can roll up into a ball for protection : its teardrop - shaped head plate seals the opening so there are no chinks in the armor . threats to armadillos include domestic dogs , wild cats , birds of prey , and humans .
fifa said studies showed that the top terms used by the public to describe fuleco included
brazilian ,
' ' nature ,
' ' friendly
and
passion for football .
while nature’s version is light brown in colour , fifa’s mascot is yellow with green eyes and a blue shell , the colours of the brazilian flag , and will be holding aloft a football .
the armadillo was named as brazil’s world cup mascot in an attempt to draw attention to its plight , but the brazilian government has been slow to take action . so , could football protect a species ? we thought so , and the results , if not exactly a goal , are hopeful .
in the looks department , the nine - banded armadillo appears naked , while the pink fairy armadillo is mostly furry and has little shell . in fact , it looks like a mole wearing a fancy , armored headdress and cape ! in the size department , armadillos range in length from the pink fairy armadillo at 3 inches ( 8 centimeters ) to the giant armadillo , which can be up to 5 feet ( 1 . 5 meters ) long from head to tail and weigh up to 132 pounds ( 60 kilograms ) .
first , we asked the brazilian government to fulfil its commitment to the world cup parks project . announced in late 2011 , the brazilian government promised us $ 275 million in infrastructure investments in 26 federal and 21 state and municipal protected areas . but two years later the number of protected areas that received the benefit was reduced to 16 and less than 2 % of the original money was effectively granted .
we were able to record other animals visiting the burrows built by t . matacus . we have recorded small rodents , small lizards and teju lizards entering and / or exiting the burrow . hence , three - banded armadillos burrowing habits could be potentially benefiting other species .
the southern three - banded armadillo is peculiar amoung armadillos for its rolling behavior . it can completely close its shell around its entire body . usually it leaves a small space between a section of its armor , which it forcefully closes on the hand , finger , or paw of a would - be predator . this shell is also very efficient at trapping air , which is warmed by body heat , and thus conserves heat loss . three - banded armadillos are usually solitary but occasionally group together during cold weather . they do not dig burrows of their own but use abandoned anteater burrows , or they make their dens under dense vegetation .
funding the soon - to - be - created park would be good . how ? by donating part of the world cup legacy trust , a multi - million dollar charity fund which will be created after the tournament in brazil , to truly protect the three - banded armadillo and its habitat . that would really be the golden goal of the world cup in brazil .
photos : mascot via fifa . armadillo by chris stubbs via wikimedia commons , used under creative commons license
the brazilian three - banded armadillo—one of just two armadillo species that can roll into a complete ball—was thought to be extinct until it was rediscovered in the 1990s . it now exists only in scattered locations , mostly in the eastern portion of the country . in addition to habitat loss , the species is also classified as
vulnerable to extinction
because of subsistence hunting , according to the international union for conservation of nature and natural resources , and climate change , according to a paper published in august in biological conservation . the paper , by scientists from university of brasilia and the jaguar conservation fund , looked at three different climate change scenarios and found that for all of them the armadillo ' s arid habitats would become unsuitable by the year 2050 . the authors concluded that existing protected habitats in brazil will fail to preserve the species from climate change
under any scenario
and called for the creation of additional reserves .
that brings us back to fuleco . a team of scientists recently called for fifa to do more to protect the brazilian three - banded armadillo . specifically , they have called for fifa to protect 1 , 000 hectares ( about 4 square miles ) of the armadillo ' s critical habitat in the caatinga ecosystem for every goal scored over the course of the world cup .
protecting the remaining caatinga is extremely urgent ,
josé alves siqueira of the federal university of the valley of são francisco said in a news release in may .
we want the choice of one of the caatinga ' s most iconic species as the world cup mascot to be more than just a symbolic one .
three - banded armadillos principally eat beetle larvae , although ants and termites are an important portion of the diet during the dry season ( july to november ) . insects are obtained by burrowing into ground nests or under the bark of rotting trees . the animals also include a significant amount of fruit in their diet during the wet season . three - banded armadillos may be found at densities of up to 7 animals per square kilometer . they are primarily solitary , although groups of up to 12 have been observed sharing the same den site during cold spells .
this species of armadillo is easily caught by hand . its genetic makeup is very different from most armadillos .
description : three - banded armadillos are typically a yellow or brownish color ranging in size from about 9 - 13 in . when full grown , weighing from 2 - 3 . 5lbs . they have a long , sticky , pink tongue to gather up their food . they have very poor eyesight , and rely on their sense of smell to hunt . just like the nine - banded armadillo can have 8 - 10 bands , they can have 2 - 4 bands . their 2nd , 3rd , and 4th toes on their hind feet are fused together , similar to a hoof . when they walk , they use the tips of their fore claws , even when they are running . they have long powerful forelimbs and claws to help them dig into termite mounds . three - banded armadillos are the only species of armadillo that can roll itself into a ball . they will roll into a ball when they feel threatened .