Here are 13 Interesting Armadillo facts.
1-5 Armadillo Facts
1. Armadillos of the genus Dasypus give birth to four genetically identical young that split from the same embryo; i.e. they always have identical quadruplets; they are the only known vertebrate animals to exhibit this “polyembryony”. – Source
2. Larry McElroy, while trying to shoot an armadillo with a 9mm pistol, had his bullet ricochet off the animal’s shell, hit a fence, go through the back door of his mother-in-law’s mobile home, pierce her recliner and finally hit her in the back. –Source
3. Ancient humans hunted Glyptodon, an extinct massive armadillo, in order to live within their shells. – Source
4. Armadillos can inflate their stomachs and intestines with air and float across the water. – Source
5. Armadillos carry leprosy and caused a spike of leprosy cases in Florida in 2015. – Source
6-10 Armadillo Facts
Image credit: en.wikipedia.org
6. The giant armadillo of South America regularly grows to over 4 feet in length. One exceptionally large specimen tipped the scales at 180 lbs. – Source
7. Armadillos were hunted for their meat during the Great Depression. Those who blamed President Hoover for the crisis referred to them as “Hoover Hogs.” – Source
8. Armadillos can delay pregnancy to ensure good environmental conditions. – Source
9. There is a 5-inch-long pink-shelled armadillo species called the Pink Fairy Armadillo. – Source
10. Female pichi armadillos don’t have vaginas and the male’s penis is 60% of its body length. – Source
11-13 Armadillo Facts
Image credit: en.wikipedia.org
11. There is a species of armadillo called the “Screaming Hairy Armadillo.” It is hunted for its meat and also its carapace (armor) which is used to construct a musical instrument called charangos. – Source
12. The Aztec Nahuatl language word for armadillo is “turtle-rabbit”. – Source
13. Two species of Armadillo i.e Southern Three-banded Armadillo (Tolypeutes matacus) and the Brazilian Three-banded Armadillo (Tolypeutes tricinctus) can roll into a ball. – Source