5. Scientists use a set of rules to name all living things, based upon the relationship between the organisms. As Meeks N noted, some species of armadillo are. A female nine-banded armadillo can give birth to 56 pups in her lifetime, all of which are born as identical quadruplets. The following phylogenetic tree is shared by all armadillos. Armadillos have a strong olfactory sense, and can smell up to 20 cm below the ground. The science of naming organisms is … The giant armadillo seems to have become scarce everywhere within its range because of hunting and the loss of its habitat to human settlement and agriculture. Armadillo, (family Dasypodidae), any of various armoured mammals found mainly in tropical and subtropical regions of Central and South America. There are about twenty different species of armadillo, mostly in South America. The nine-banded armadillo is the official state animal of Texas. Some species are endangered. The necks and backs of armadillos are covered with flexible carapaces (shells) consisting of 14 to 17 moveable bands of horn and bone. Giant armadillos feed primarily on termites, but ants, other insects, spiders, worms, snakes and carrion also form parts of their diet. All armadillos possess a set of plates called the carapace that covers much of the body, including the head and, in most species, the legs and tail. Armadillos as a whole are not endangered. Survival of this species is endangered. Adults grow as long as 35 inches and can weigh over 70 lb. 4. Most of the 20 species inhabit open areas, such as grasslands, but some also live in forests. Armadillos have a very low body temperature that ranges between 33° C to 36° C. 3.
Armadillo is a Spanish word meaning “little armored one” and refers to the bony plates that cover the back, head, legs, and tail of most of these odd looking creatures. While the nine-banded armadillo that has become very common throughout the American south is definitely not endangered (in fact, it's considered a pest in some parts), there are some species that aren't doing nearly as well. Most species are not endangered and are even increasing in population size. The giant armadillo can have up to 100 teeth, according to the San Diego Zoo. Some people eat armadillos and claim it tastes like pork. 2. The giant armadillo is the largest of all armadillos and found in South America, east of the Andes, from northwestern Venezuela to northeastern Argentina.