Brazilian Three-banded Armadillo
Tolypeutes tricinctus
The adult Brazilian three-banded armadillo lives in dry grasslands, thorn scrub, and open savanna habitats of northeastern Brazil. It is mostly solitary and forages by smell, using strong claws to uncover ants, termites, beetle larvae, and other small invertebrates. When threatened, it curls into a nearly sealed armored ball instead of digging a burrow as its first defense. It is one of the few armadillos capable of rolling completely shut, leaving only a narrow shell gap protected by its tough plates.
- Type
- Shell / Burrow
- Conservation status
- VU
Growth chain
- ?
- Brazilian Three-banded Armadillo