Southern naked-tailed armadillo

Description

The southern naked-tailed armadillo (Cabassous unicinctus) is a species of small armadillo from South America.Smaller than some other armadillos,males measure an average of 36 cm (14 in) in head-body length,and weigh around 3.0 kg (6.6 lb),while females are larger,measuring 38 cm (15 in) and weighing 3.8 kg (8.4 lb).The tail measures around 16 cm (6.3 in) in both sexes,and has only tiny scales in its skin,unlike the larger scutes found in most other armadillo species.The upper body is covered by a dark grey bony carapace of squarish scutes.In the mid part of the body,this carapace is divided into a series of ten to thirteen mobile rings,giving the animal some degree of flexibility.Although there are some bristly hairs around the margins of the scutes,the tail and underside of the animal are hairless.The armour covers the back of the neck and extends onto the head between the ears.Smaller and thinner scales are also found on the cheeks and the outer surface of the ears.The snout is relatively short,and the ears large and funnel-like.There are five clawed toes on each foot,with the middle claws on the forefeet being particularly large.