Southern long-nosed armadillo

Description

The southern long-nosed armadillo (Dasypus hybridus) is a species of armadillo native to South America.Among the smallest of the long-nosed armadillos,individuals of the southern species measure about 30 cm (12 in) in head-body length,with a tail about 17 cm (6.7 in) long.With no discernible sexual dimorphism,both males and females weigh about 2 kg (4.4 lb).The upper body,tail,and upper surface of the head are covered by a dark grey carapace of bony scales and have very little hair.The central part of the carapace is divided into a number of movable bands;there are usually seven such bands,but many individuals have just six,while a few have eight.The scales on the main shields,over the shoulders and hips,are hexagonal and about 5 mm (0.20 in) across,while those on the bands are rectangular and marked with a V-shaped groove that divides them into three triangular sections.The scales on the head are variable in shape.he tail has a number of distinct rings for about two-thirds of its length,and a slender tip.They have a narrow snout and long ears,measuring about a quarter to a third of the length of the head.There are four toes on the front feet and five on the hind feet;all have powerful curved claws.The underside of the animal has sparse dark-brown hair,and skin that is wrinkled on the abdomen,but smoother on the inside of the legs.