Looks at armadillo burrows and how armadillos use them to stay safe and raise their young.

Details the characteristics, habitat, and life cycle of the nine-banded armadillo. Includes photo diagram.

The word armadillo is Spanish for “little armored one.” This midsize mammal that looks like a walking tank is a source of fascination for many people but a mystery to almost all. Dating back at least eleven million years, the nocturnal, burrowing insectivore was for centuries mistaken for a cross between a hedgehog and a turtle, but it actually belongs to the mammalian superorder Xenarthra that includes sloths and anteaters. Biologists W. J. Loughry and Colleen M. McDonough have studied the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) for more than twenty years. Their richly illustrated book offers the first comprehensive review of everything scientists know about this unique animal. Engaging both scientists and a broader public, Loughry and McDonough describe the armadillo’s anatomy and physiology and all aspects of its ecology, behavior, and evolution. They also compare the nine-banded armadillo with twenty or so other, related species. The authors pay special attention to three key features of armadillo biology—reproduction, disease, and habitat expansion—and why they matter. Armadillos reproduce in a unique and puzzling manner: females always give birth to litters of genetically identical quadruplets, a strategy not found in any other vertebrates. Nine-banded armadillos are also the only vertebrates except for humans known to contract leprosy naturally. And what about habitat expansion? The authors suggest that the armadillo’s remarkable spread across the southeastern United States may be the consequence of its most notable feature: a tough, protective carapace. Biologists, evolutionists, students, and all those interested in this curious creature will find The Nine-Banded Armadillo rich in information and insight. This comprehensive analysis will stand as the definitive scientific reference for years to come and a source of pleasure for the general public.

Armadillos have one of the most interesting defense mechanisms in the animal kingdom. In the blink of an eye, they are able to curl themselves up into a ball. Their thick, armor-like skin protects them against many predators. Young readers will be eager to learn more about these cool and funny-looking animals.

“Chatty, humorous, and sometimes almost hysterically funny . . . Everything, perhaps even more, that you might have wanted to know about armadillos.” —The Quarterly Review of Biology Perhaps no creature has so fired the imagination of a populace as the armadillo, that most ungainly, awkward, and timid little animal. What is it that sets this quizzical little creature apart from the rest of the animal kingdom? Larry L. Smith and Robin W. Doughty ably answer this question in The Amazing Armadillo: Geography of a Folk Critter. This informative book traces the spread of the nine-banded armadillo from its first notice in South Texas late in the 1840s to its current range east to Florida and north to Missouri. The authors look at the armadillo’s natural history and habitat as well as the role of humans in promoting its spread, projecting that the animal is increasing in both range and number, continuing its ecological success in areas where habitat and climate are favorable. The book also contributes to a long-standing research theme in geography: the relationship between humans and wildlife. It explores the armadillo’s value to the medical community in current research in Hansen’s Disease (leprosy) as well as commercial uses, and abuses, of the armadillo in recent times. Of particular note is the author’s engaging look at the armadillo as a symbol of popular culture, the efforts now underway to make it a “totem animal” symbolizing the easy-going lifestyles of some Sunbelt cities, and the spread of the craze for armadilliana to other urban centers.

This book introduces young readers to the iconic armadillo. Easy-to-read text examines the armadillo's development as a cultural icon, from its migration to the United States to its status as the state small mammal of Texas. Readers will also learn about the armadillo's body, its appearance, size, and special shell. The armadillo's unique reproduction is discussed, as is pup development and life cycle. Readers will discover what armadillos like to eat, and how they use their sticky tongue and claws to grab their insect meals. Also covered is the armadillo's habitat, and a range map shows where in the world they live. Informative sidebars highlight additional information, including the armadillo's scientific classification. Predators, including humans, are also discussed, along with the armadillo's expanding range and its status as both icon and pest. Bolded glossary terms, phonetic spellings, and an index enhance readability for young iconologists. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Checkerboard Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

Describes the physical characteristics, habitat, and life cycle of the armadillo.

An armadillo remembers where his burrow is by the orange near the opening, but when the orange rolls away, he discovers a new way to find his home.

Reflecting the expertise and perspective of five leading mammalogists, the fourth edition of Mammalogy: Adaptation, Diversity, Ecology significantly updates taxonomy, includes a new chapter on mammalian molecular phylogenetics, and highlights several recently described species. There are close to 5,500 species in the class Mammalia, including the blue whale—the largest animal that has ever lived—and the pygmy shrew, which weighs little more than a penny. The functional diversity of mammals has allowed them to play critical roles in every ecosystem, whether marine, freshwater, alpine, tundra, forest, or desert. Many mammal species are critically endangered and present complex conservation and management challenges. This book touches on those challenges, which are often precipitated by overharvesting and habitat loss, as well as emerging threats, such as the impact of wind turbines and white nose syndrome on bats and chronic wasting disease on deer. Among the updates and additions to the fourth edition of Mammalogy are numerous new photos, figures, and cladograms, over 4,200 references, as well as • A completely new chapter on mammalian phylogeny and genomics • Current taxonomy—including major changes to orders, suborders, and superfamilies of bats and rodents • An explanation of the recent inclusion of whales with terrestrial even-toed ungulates • Updates on mammalian structural, functional adaptations, and fossil history • recent advances in our understanding of phylogeny, biogeography, social behavior, and ecology • A discussion of two new orders and thirteen newly recognized extant families • Reflections on the implications of climate change for mammals • Thorough examinations of several recently described species, including Durrell's vontsira (Salanoia durrelli) and the Laotian rock rat (Laonastes aenigmamus) • An explanation of mammalian biomechanics, such as that seen in lunge feeding of baleen whales • Breakout boxes on unique aspects of mammals, including the syntax of bat songs, singing mice, and why there are no green mammals (unless we count algae-covered sloths) Maintaining the accessible, readable style for which Feldhamer and his coauthors are well known, this new edition of Mammalogy is the authoritative textbook on this amazingly diverse class of vertebrates.