Specimen Showcase | Animals with Armour
- Hong Kong Biodiversity Museum
- Mar 10
- 2 min read
One of the first thoughts that comes to mind while talking about armadillos, is probably how they can curl like a ball⚽. Well, the species we introduce today, the #Nine_banded_Armadillo (𝘋𝘢𝘴𝘺𝘱𝘶𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘮𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘴 (Linn., 1758)), which can be found across Northern, Central and Southern America, might change your impression towards them.
The head, back, body sides and tail of a Nine-banded Armadillos are mostly covered with what may look like a chain mail #armour🛡️. No metal here, but an armour actually made of ossified dermal scutes, which are simply bony inclusions within the integument. The armour can be divided into three main parts, a scapular shield covering the shoulders, a pelvic shield covering the hips, and a “belt” in between them. This “belt” is actually composed of 9️⃣ movable bands, each connected by folds of skin. This “belt” is what gives them their name.
Unlike some other species of armadillos, the Nine-banded Armadillo cannot curl into a ball ❌! Nevertheless, this armour is still solid, protecting them from the claws and teeth of potential predators. Once threatened, they jump straight up and dash back to their burrows, squeezing their armoured bodies there. Their predators could only change their mind and look for something else to eat.
You might think Nine-banded Armadillos are benign animals, but they are actually excellent #nocturnal predators. Research revealed that their menu contains over 90% of #invertebrates, the majority being insects like beetles, flies, wasps or ants, but also from other invertebrate groups like millipedes and earthworms. They have 5 toes on each hindleg, while only 4 toes on each foreleg. The middle pair of toes of their forelegs are bigger than the rest and are equipped with large, curved claws, specialized for digging. Together with outstanding sense of smell👃 , they can find their food with ease!
Although you cannot find Nine-banded Armadillo in Hong Kong, you can still observe one specimen at the HKBM. Look out for other interesting features not mentioned here!
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