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Armadillo - Armored Mammals The Nine-banded Armadillo, Daspusy Novemcinctus, is one interesting mammal. The bony plates that cover an armadillo's body account for their name, which translated from Spanish mean "little armored one." While the common name says "Nine-banded", 7-11 bands may be present (other sources, such as The Mammals of Texas Online Edition, specifically number the bands present at nine.) The armor serves to provide protection from predators, while other anatomical adaptations allow armadillos to be adept at constructing burrows and digging up grubs and other invertebrates to eat. |
I Wasn't Born in Texas, but I Got Here as Fast as I Could Ever see this saying on a bumper sticker or coffee mug? Although armadillos have long been a Texas icon, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine (July 2017) the Nine-banded Armadillo originally colonized Texas from Mexico, with first known records appearing in South Texas in 1849. The armadillo has gone on to become a part of Texas history and lore, and made their first appearance as a Texas souvenir in the 1990s. Of greater consequence, the meat of "Hoover Hogs" (armadillos) helped sustain many in East Texas during the Great Depression.
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Armadillo Oddities - Armadillos almost always give birth to identical quadruplets.
- When startled, armadillos may leap three to four feet straight up!
- Armadillos are the only animals besides humans that can carry leprosy.
- Armadillos are not only good swimmers, they are able to walk underwater.
Citizen Science For users of the iNaturalist app, any observations of the Nine-Banded Armadillo that you capture would be welcomed additions to the database. In Dallas County, 101 observations have been recorded to this point.
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Spotting ArmadillosUnfortunately, many people's only sightings of armadillos are roadkill casualties. Fortunately, live and kickin' armadillos can often be observed in local state parks and natural areas such as Cedar Hill State Park. Considering the hard clay soils of our Blackland Prairies, armadillos would most likely be found in the vicinity of streams where the softer soils are more suited to armadillo's burrowing and food-probing habits. If you spot an armadillo foraging in the woods, this mammal's poor eyesight may allow you to make a stealthy approach for a closer look!
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Altruistic armadillos, zenlike zebras : a menagerie of 100 favorite animals
by J. Moussaieff Masson
The best-selling author of Dogs Never Lie About Love and When Elephants Weep pays tribute to one hundred of his favorite animals, offering fascinating profiles and information about the daily lives of dolphins, hummingbirds, dugongs, hippos, kakapos, and other familiar and little-known creatures. 35,000 first printing.
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Complete Unabridged Armadillo Handbook
by Angela Farris Fannin
Enthusiasm for the armadillo as part of Texas lore led to the publication of The Complete Unabridged Armadillo Handbook which provides a permanent record of everything you've always wanted to know about the armadillo.
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The mammals of Texas
by David J. Schmidly
The Mammals of Texas has been the standard reference since the first edition was authored by William B. Davis in 1947. Revised several times over the succeeding decades , it remains the most authoritative source of information on the mammalian wildlife of Texas.
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The nine-banded armadillo : a natural history
by W. J. Loughry
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.
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Business, Science & Technology Dallas Public Library1515 Young St. Dallas, Texas 75201 214-670-1400www.dallaslibrary.org |
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