Screaming Hairy Armadillo
Encyclopedia
The Screaming Hairy Armadillo (Chaetophractus vellerosus) is a species of armadillo
also known as the Small Screaming Armadillo, Crying Armadillo or the Small Hairy Armadillo. It is a burrowing armadillo found in the central and southern parts of South America
. The adjective "screaming" derives from its habit of squealing when handled or threatened.
in 1865 from a specimen in the British Museum collected from Santa Cruz de la Sierra
in eastern Bolivia
as "Dasypus vellerosus".
The animal was initially described by Gray as follows:
"The forehead convex, with many polygonal shields ; the dorsal shield covered with abundant elongated bristly hairs ; the underside of the body covered with close hairs. Toes 5/5, the outer and inner hinder small."
These armadillos have more hair growth than other armadillo species. The armadillo has 18 bands of which six to eight are movable bands. The hair on the dorsum
is light brown in colour.
areas from low to high altitudes. It is found in parts of the Gran Chaco
and Pampas areas of Argentina
, Bolivia
, and Paraguay
. An isolated population is found in eastern Buenos Aires Province
in Argentina.
Its natural habitat
s are subtropical or tropical dry forest
s, temperate shrubland
, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, temperate grassland
, subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland, hot desert
s, temperate desert, arable land
, pastureland, and plantation
s. It is absent in rocky areas where the armadillo would not be able to burrow. The average annual rainfall in its main range is 200 to 600 mm (7.9 to 23.6 in) while the rainfall averages 1000 millimetres (39.4 in) annually in the area of the Buenos Aires population.
), varying considerably depending upon the season. The animals increase their weight by up to 10% in winter forming a layer of sub-cutaneous fat 1 to 2 cm (0.393700787401575 to 0.78740157480315 in) thick. Vertebrates form a significant part of an armadillo's diet ranging from 27.7 % by volume in summer to 13.9 % in winter, the most common prey species being lizards, birds, frogs, and the mice species Eligmodontia typus and Phyllotis griseofulvus. The armadillos ingest a lot of sand while feeding, and it may occupy as much as 50% of the volume of the stomach at a time.
s, a South American musical instrument akin to a lute.
Armadillo
Armadillos are New World placental mammals, known for having a leathery armor shell. Dasypodidae is the only surviving family in the order Cingulata, part of the superorder Xenarthra along with the anteaters and sloths. The word armadillo is Spanish for "little armored one"...
also known as the Small Screaming Armadillo, Crying Armadillo or the Small Hairy Armadillo. It is a burrowing armadillo found in the central and southern parts of South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. The adjective "screaming" derives from its habit of squealing when handled or threatened.
Taxonomy
The animal was first described by Dr J. E. GrayJohn Edward Gray
John Edward Gray, FRS was a British zoologist. He was the elder brother of George Robert Gray and son of the pharmacologist and botanist Samuel Frederick Gray ....
in 1865 from a specimen in the British Museum collected from Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Santa Cruz de la Sierra, commonly known as Santa Cruz, is the capital of the Santa Cruz department in eastern Bolivia and the largest city in the country...
in eastern Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
as "Dasypus vellerosus".
Description
This is one of the smallest and slenderest of the genus Chaetophractus but has longer ears than others in its genus. The male armadillo has a length ranging from 328 to 400 mm (12.9 to 15.7 in) with an average length of 376 millimetres (14.8 in) while the length of the female ranges from 265 to 419 mm (10.4 to 16.5 in) with an average length of 368 millimetres (14.5 in). The male weighs between 543 to 1329 g (19.2 to 46.9 oz) with an average of 860 grams (30.3 oz) while the range of weight for the female is 257 to 1126 g (9.1 to 39.7 oz) with average weight as 814 grams (28.7 oz).The animal was initially described by Gray as follows:
"The forehead convex, with many polygonal shields ; the dorsal shield covered with abundant elongated bristly hairs ; the underside of the body covered with close hairs. Toes 5/5, the outer and inner hinder small."
These armadillos have more hair growth than other armadillo species. The armadillo has 18 bands of which six to eight are movable bands. The hair on the dorsum
Dorsum (anatomy)
In anatomy, the dorsum is the upper side of animals that typically run, fly, or swim in a horizontal position, and the back side of animals that walk upright. In vertebrates the dorsum contains the backbone. The term dorsal refers to anatomical structures that are either situated toward or grow...
is light brown in colour.
Subspecies
Two subspecies are known but taxonomic confirmation is required:- Chaetophractus vellerosus vellerosus (Gray, 1865)
- Chaetophractus vellerosus pannosus (Gardner, 2007)
Range and habitat
The Screaming Hairy Armadillo is a burrowing armadillo of aridDeserts and xeric shrublands
Deserts and xeric shrublands is a biome characterized by, relating to, or requiring only a small amount of moisture.-Definition and occurrence:...
areas from low to high altitudes. It is found in parts of the Gran Chaco
Gran Chaco
The Gran Chaco is a sparsely populated, hot and semi-arid lowland region of the Río de la Plata basin, divided among eastern Bolivia, Paraguay, northern Argentina and a portion of the Brazilian states of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul, where it is connected with the Pantanal region...
and Pampas areas of Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
, and Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
. An isolated population is found in eastern Buenos Aires Province
Buenos Aires Province
The Province of Buenos Aires is the largest and most populous province of Argentina. It takes the name from the city of Buenos Aires, which used to be the provincial capital until it was federalized in 1880...
in Argentina.
Its natural habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
s are subtropical or tropical dry forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
s, temperate shrubland
Shrubland
Shrubland, scrubland, scrub or brush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity...
, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, temperate grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
, subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland, hot desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
s, temperate desert, arable land
Arable land
In geography and agriculture, arable land is land that can be used for growing crops. It includes all land under temporary crops , temporary meadows for mowing or pasture, land under market and kitchen gardens and land temporarily fallow...
, pastureland, and plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
s. It is absent in rocky areas where the armadillo would not be able to burrow. The average annual rainfall in its main range is 200 to 600 mm (7.9 to 23.6 in) while the rainfall averages 1000 millimetres (39.4 in) annually in the area of the Buenos Aires population.
Behaviour
The armadillo is nocturnal by summer and diurnal in winter. It can subsist for long periods without water. The armadillo burrows, often at the base of bushes and shrubs. It has multiple burrows in its range and each burrow may have more than one entrance. A burrow may be 8 to 15 in (203.2 to 381 mm) in diameter and may be several metres long. The home range of an armadillo is recorded to consist of a minimum area of 3.4 ha (8.4 acre). The animal does not build a nest in its burrow which it seals during occupation.Diet
When not in its burrow, the animal spends most of its time foraging. The armadillo is omnivorous; its diet consists of insects, vertebrates and plant material (especially pods of ProsopisProsopis
Prosopis is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae. It contains around 45 species of spiny trees and shrubs found in subtropical and tropical regions of the Americas, Africa, Western Asia, and South Asia. They often thrive in arid soil and are resistant to drought, on occasion...
), varying considerably depending upon the season. The animals increase their weight by up to 10% in winter forming a layer of sub-cutaneous fat 1 to 2 cm (0.393700787401575 to 0.78740157480315 in) thick. Vertebrates form a significant part of an armadillo's diet ranging from 27.7 % by volume in summer to 13.9 % in winter, the most common prey species being lizards, birds, frogs, and the mice species Eligmodontia typus and Phyllotis griseofulvus. The armadillos ingest a lot of sand while feeding, and it may occupy as much as 50% of the volume of the stomach at a time.
Reproduction
The gestation period of the armadillo is 60 – 75 days. The armadillos become sexually mature at 9 months and produce two litters per year.Human interaction
This armadillo is heavily hunted for its meat in parts of the Chaco region in Bolivia. It is at times considered an agricultural pest and killed by hunting dogs. The disjunct population of coastal Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, is adversely affected by mining activities. The carapace is particularly sought for making charangoCharango
The charango is a small Andean stringed instrument of the lute family, 66 cm long, traditionally made with the shell of the back of an armadillo. Primarily played in traditional Andean music, and is sometimes used by other Latin American musicians. Many contemporary charangos are now made with...
s, a South American musical instrument akin to a lute.