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Structure
Interesting Questions, Facts and Information
- There are a total of 10 general entries.
Special Topics
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 Interesting Questions, Facts, and Information
 Xenarthrans (Sloth, Anteater, etc)
Yes. Most armadillos are covered from head to tail in a skeleton called true bone. Their bony skeleton is covered in small scales known as scutes. The only part of their body that isn't protected by true bone is their abdomen. The exception is the pink fairy armadillo which has a partial bony shell on its back, but fur on its face and legs. To see a colored picture of this animal go to:
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/resources/Grzimek_mammals/Dasypodidae/Chlamyphorus_truncatus.jpg/view.html
King George II. On July 31, 1728, George II was given an armadillo as a gift. The Indians believed that the armadillo was a sign from the gods that meant to roll with the punches which is why it was well liked among the Indians. When King George II was given an armadillo as a gift, he called it the "Indian monster" because it was known to be a pet of the Indians.
No. Armadillos are not legally blind, but they do have bad eyesight. They use their senses of touch and smell to catch their meals.
Three-banded armadillo. Even with a hard shell covering its body, the three-banded armadillo can roll into ball in order to protect itself. The shell on the three-banded armadillo is not attached on the side of its body so it can fit its legs and head inside the ball. Armadillos can swim, but the mammals have to inflate their stomachs with air so they don't sink from the weight of their shells.
Yes. Armadillos are nocturnal animals which means that they sleep during the day and are awake at night. Although it's not unusual to see an armadillo during the day, most of the time armadillos will awaken at nighttime where they will be better protected.
South America. Armadillos originated in South America. The mammals are from the Xenartha order and the Dasypodidae family. A Mayan legend states that armadillos were created to humiliate two gods. After watching two gods arguing all day, Kinich Ahau, the Mayan sun god, sat them down on a bench in front of several other gods. The bench suddenly turned into a pair of armadillos that got scared and jumped up in the air making the two gods fall to the ground in humiliation.
Fish. Armadillos come from the same family as anteaters which means that they are insectivores, insect-eating animals. Like the anteater, the armadillo catches its prey with its sticky tongue and slurps the food into its mouth.
Hoover dog. During the Great Depression, President Herbert Hoover promised people that they would have a "chicken in every pot". When people couldn't afford chicken, they ate armadillos. A full grown armadillo can weigh up to seventeen pounds and when cooked the meat tastes like pork.
| What disease can armadillos contract that can help doctors study the disease in humans? | The Armadillo Quiz
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Leprosy. Because of an armadillo's low body temperature and bad immune system, the mammals are more susceptible to diseases. Doctors can study leprosy in armadillos in order to treat the disease in humans. Other mammals that can contract leprosy are monkeys, rabbits and mice.
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