Fun Northern Naked-tailed Armadillo Facts For Kids
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The Northern naked-tailed armadillo (Cabassous centralis) is an armadillo that is a member of the Chlamyphoridae family and the Cabassous genus. It is found in burrows in wooded regions, grasslands, and thickly vegetated areas.
The Northern naked-tailed armadillo' ranges between 12-17 in (30.4-43.1 cm) in length and 4.3-7.1 in (10.9-18 cm) in tail length. The Northern naked-tailed armadillo is commonly called so as its tail lacks the keratinous, protective plates that are present on the body.
The tail possesses thinner plates of a pinkish shade that are widely spaced. As it has eleven bands as its armor, it is also commonly called the eleven-banded armadillo.
This species also has large claws on both hind feet and forefeet that aid in digging. Its middle claw is unique as it is sickle-shaped and quite large.
It has the ability to run very fast if it senses danger. This animal can be seen in Southern and Central America.
It is a nocturnal carnivorous animal whose diet mainly comprises insects. Keep reading to get to know more Northern naked-tailed armadillo fun facts about its appearance, diet, distribution, and more!
If you enjoyed reading our Northern naked-tailed armadillo fun facts, you must check out the pink fairy armadillo and wood mouse.
Northern Naked-Tailed Armadillo Interesting Facts
What type of animal is a Northern naked-tailed armadillo?
The Northern naked-tailed armadillo (Cabassous centralis) is a mammal. It is a species of armadillo and is a member of the Chlamyphoridae family.
What class of animal does a Northern naked-tailed armadillo belong to?
The Northern naked-tailed armadillo (Cabassous centralis) belongs to the class of Mammalia.
How many Northern naked-tailed armadillos are there in the world?
The population of the Northern naked-tailed armadillo (Cabassous centralis) has not been evaluated yet. We do know that it is endemic to Southern and Central America.
Where does a Northern naked-tailed armadillo live?
The Northern-naked tailed armadillo can be spotted in South America, starting from southern Mexico, the region east of the Andes from Argentina towards Western Colombia, Northwestern Ecuador, and Venezuela. It can also be seen in Central America from Panama to Guatemala.
What is a Northern naked-tailed armadillo's habitat?
The Northern naked-tailed armadillo is one of the fossorial species of armadillos. It has been observed to spend the majority of its time in tunnels underground. It typically inhabits wooded regions and grasslands. It prefers thickly vegetated areas so that it can hide from predators easily. It lives in burrows that have an entrance to the ground.
Who do Northern naked-tailed armadillos live with?
Northern naked-tailed armadillos are rarely sighted. However, they are typically seen living in solitary. They might also travel in small groups or in a pair.
How long does a Northern naked-tailed armadillo live?
The Northern naked-tailed armadillo (Cabassous centralis) can live for 7-31 years.
How do they reproduce?
Not much information is available regarding the breeding behavior of this species. However, we do know that the reproduction of the C. centralis is dioecious.
The female armadillo of this species gives birth to a single pup that is deaf, hairless, and blind at birth. The gestation period of this armadillo species is approximately 6 months long. The pup has pink skin that is quite soft and the scutes can also be seen on it.
The pup attains sexual maturity at the age of 32.9 months. Their weaning age is 21.14 months.
What is their conservation status?
This species has not been evaluated by the IUCN yet. However, it has been listed in the cites appendix iii.
Northern Naked-Tailed Armadillo Fun Facts
What do Northern naked-tailed armadillos look like?
This animal ranges between 12-17 in (30.4-43.1 cm) in body length and 4.3-7.1 in (10.9-18 cm) in tail length. The tail of the Cabassous centralis lacks the keratinous, protective plates that are present on the body.
The tail possesses thinner plates of a pinkish shade that are widely spaced. As it has eleven bands as its armor, it is also commonly called the eleven-banded armadillo.
It has a dark-brown to black coloration overall with a yellow-gray ventral side and yellow-colored lateral regions. It has a broad head with a wide but short snout. It also has well-separated, funnel-shaped, large ears, and small eyes.
Quite different from other species of armadillos, the northern naked-tailed armadillo has no scales on its ears' backs. Its bands are also not clearly defined.
This species also has large claws on both hind feet and forefeet that aid in digging. Its middle claw is unique as it is sickle-shaped and quite large.
*Please note that the main image and the second image are of a nine-banded armadillo and not of a Northern naked-tailed armadillo. If you have an image of a Northern naked-tailed armadillo, let us know at hello@kidadl.com
How cute are they?
The Northern naked-tailed armadillos have a unique body shape and features. They are quite cute looking.
How do they communicate?
The Northern naked-tailed armadillo is quite vocal. It is known to make many gurgling squeals as well as low growling noises especially when it has been caught by a predator. It has also been observed to defecate and urinate to escape the predator.
How big is a Northern naked-tailed armadillo?
The Northern naked-tailed armadillo range between 12-17 in (30.4-43.1 cm) in body length and 4.3-7.1 in (10.9-18 cm) in tail length. Its body length is similar to that of the Andean hairy armadillo!
How fast can a Northern naked-tailed armadillo run?
The Northern naked-tailed armadillo is the most fossorial of all species of armadillos. It uses its large claws to dig and can be seen on its hind feet as well as its forefeet! It has the ability to run very fast if it senses danger. Typically, armadillos can reach a top speed of 30 mph (48.2 kph)
How much does a Northern naked-tailed armadillo weigh?
The body mass of this species ranges between 4.4-7.7 lb (2–3.5 kg).
What are the male and female names of the species?
The male armadillo of this species is referred to as a lister, whereas the female armadillo is known as zed. A group of northern naked-tailed armadillos is referred to as a fez.
What would you call a baby Northern naked-tailed armadillo?
The baby of a Northern naked-tailed armadillo is referred to as a pup.
What do they eat?
Northern naked-tailed armadillos are nocturnal carnivores whose diet mainly comprises insects. It includes scarab beetles, larvae, ants, and termites.
C. centralis have also been observed to feed upon bird eggs, earthworms, amphibians, and small reptiles. Just like all armadillo species, Northern naked-tailed armadillos also have special digging skills that help them in burrowing into termite mounds. They rotate their body while they dig, with the help of their forefeet's large claws.
Their victim is scooped out from the tunnel with the help of the extensible long tongue of these armadillos. C. centralis has a strong sense of smell to successfully locate their insects. It makes loud sounds, urinates, and defecated when it is caught by a predator.
Predators of the armadillos include dogs, bears, coyotes, cougars, bobcats, raccoons, and foxes. The pups of the armadillos are preyed on by owls, feral pigs, and hawks.
Are they dangerous?
Armadillos are not known to be fatal towards humans. However, if they feel they are in danger, they might use their large claws as a defense.
Would they make a good pet?
There are not many reports of the Northern naked-tailed armadillo being domesticated. It is typically nocturnal as it is active at night time. It isn't advisable to keep this armadillo species as a pet due to its behavior. Additionally, as they live in burrows, it would be quite hard to mimic their natural habitat in captivity.
Did you know...
Southern naked-tailed armadillos have been observed to spend 99.25% part of their daily living underground! If one of them gets spotted on the ground, it will dig back inside within seconds.
How many babies do Northern naked-tailed armadillos have?
The Northern naked-tailed armadillo female gives birth to one young only. The pup of this mammalian species is deaf, hairless, and blind.
What is the native of a Northern naked-tailed armadillo?
This species is native to the Neotropics. The Northern-naked tailed armadillo can be spotted in South America, starting from southern Mexico, the region east of the Andes from Argentina towards Western Colombia, Northwestern Ecuador, and Venezuela. It can also be seen in Central America from Panama to Guatemala. It is endemic to Southern and Central America.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these whale fun facts and Croatian sheepdog surprising facts!
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable naked-tailed armadillo coloring pages!
*Please note that the main image and the second image are of a nine-banded armadillo and not of a Northern naked-tailed armadillo. If you have an image of a Northern naked-tailed armadillo, let us know at hello@kidadl.com
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