North American three-banded armadillo (SciiFii)

The North American three-banded armadillo (Tolypeutes borealis), also known as the northern three-banded armadillo, is a species of three-banded armadillo (Tolypeutes), most closely related to the Brazilian three-banded armadillo (Tolypeutes tricinctus), that originally did not exist, but has since been created by SciiFii and introduced throughout the rainforests, wetlands, forests, open woodlands, and forested shrublands across North America to help boost biodiversity. The North American three-banded armadillos have a head-and-body length of about 22 to 27 centimeters (8.7 to 10.6 inches) and the tail is between 6 and 8 centimeters (2.4 and 3.1 inches) long. They weigh on average of between 1–1.6 kilograms (2.2–3.5 lb). The armor is composed of ossified dermal scutes covered by nonoverlapping, keratinized epidermal scales, which are connected by flexible bands of skin. This armor covers the back, sides, head, tail, ears, and outside surfaces of the legs. The underside of the body and the inner surfaces of the legs have no armored protection, and are covered instead by long, coarse hair. The genus Tolypeutes, which also includes the Brazilian and southern species of three-banded armadillos (Tolypeutes matacus), is unique in the ability to roll up in a tight, almost impenetrable ball. This is because their armor is slightly looser than that of other armadillo genera, which allows for greater freedom of movement. The loose armor also creates a layer of air between the shell and the body, which insulates the animal. This higher capacity for thermoregulation allows them to survive in climates too arid for some of the other armadillo species. When the armadillo rolls into a defensive ball, the ears are tucked into the shell and the head and tail interlock to seal the shell completely. The teeth are soft and peg-like, adapted solely for smashing the exoskeletons of insects. The main staples of its diet includes ants, termites, mollusks, worms, fruits, roots, tubers, and carrion, which it can smell through even up to 20 centimeters of soil. It finds food by shuffling slowly along with its nose to the ground. When it detects its prey or vegetation, it frantically digs a hole and thrust its nose into it, using its long, sticky tongue to lap up any of its food sources it may find. Armadillos are chiefly solitary, but this species will occasionally travel in small family groups of up to three members. They are largely nocturnal, but have been known to forage during the day. All the armadillos are spectacular diggers, but unlike most of the other species, North American three-banded armadillos do not dig in defense or to find shelter. They prefer to rest under bushes, rather than dig burrows, and their ability to roll into a ball makes defensive digging unnecessary. When they are not foraging, they move with a sort of trot, bouncing on the tips of their front toes, while their hind feet slap flatly on the ground. They mark their territories with secretions from glands on their face, feet, and rump. When threatened, they occasionally do not seal their armor completely, but wait until they are touched. They then quickly snap shut in an effort to startle the predator. The mating season lasts from January to April, during which there is a brief courtship before mating. The female carries the young for a gestation period of 100-110 days at the end of which between one and three blind offspring are born. The newborn's armor is soft, but their claws are fully developed, and they can walk and roll into a ball within hours of birth. The armor hardens by the third or fourth week, around the same time the eyes and earflaps open. The young North American three-banded armadillos are weaned at 10 weeks and reaches sexual maturity at 7–10 months. The conservation status of the North American three-banded armadillo is Least Concern due to successful conservation efforts, the North American three-banded armadillo's wide range and, unlike most species of three-banded armadillos, its tolerance to many of the human activities.
Category:Animals
Category:Species
Category:SciiFii