The armadillo is one of the most ancient and unusual animals on the planet. In their homeland, representatives of this family are called amadillas or "pocket dinosaurs". It is believed that the first armadillos appeared on Earth 55 million years ago. Unlike many other representatives of the fauna, these animals managed to survive for such a long time mainly due to the presence of a shell. The largest member of this family is Priodontes maximus, a giant armadillo.
Habitat
In the wild, this type of armadillo lives only in South America. You can meet these unusual spectacular "mini-dinosaurs" from Venezuela in the south to Paraguay in the north. The giant armadillo is an animal whose habitat is thus quite extensive. Amadillas live in this area mainly only in wooded areas. The territorial area of one animal is usually 1-3 km2. Such armadillos lead a solitary lifestyle.
Description of the animal
The appearance of giant armadillos is really impressive. adult body lengthindividuals can reach 75-100 cm. The weight of the animal often exceeds 30 kg. That is, in size, Priodontes maximus resembles a 4-6-month-old piglet. In captivity, the weight of this variety of armadillo can reach 60 kg.
The whole body - sides, tail, head, back - of this southern animal is covered with small horny shields connected by an elastic tissue. Due to this, the armor of the amadilla is characterized by mobility. The color of the shell of a giant armadillo is dark brown. In any case, the belly of Priodontes maximus is always lighter than the back.
The muzzle of a giant armadillo has a tubular shape. The teeth of the animal are directed backwards. There are large claws on the paws of the amadilla. The tongue of this armadillo, like that of most other members of the family, is long and sticky. With them, the animal easily "picks up" even the most nimble insects.
Animal diet
Despite its intimidating appearance, the giant armadillo is not a dangerous predator. It feeds in the wild mainly on termites, worms and various kinds of crawling and flying insects. The sharp long claws of Priodontes maximus are needed not for attack, but for destroying anthills and digging holes.
An interesting feature of the giant armadillo is that, despite its massiveness, this beast can easily stand on its hind legs. If necessary, thus, Priodontes maximus freely reaches the top of the largest termite mound.
How to breed
With relatives Priodontesmaximus are found only when they wish to have offspring. Puberty in these animals occurs at the age of about a year. Pregnancy in females of the giant armadillo does not last too long - about 4 months. There are usually one or two cubs in a litter. Only the mother takes part in their upbringing. The female feeds the cubs with milk for about six months. Then the babies begin an independent life.
Economic value
In most parts of South America, the amadilla is not liked and is considered a pest of the fields. The habitat of the giant armadillo is extensive, and it rarely “intersects” with people. However, sometimes these animals do raid crops. They, of course, do not eat plants, but arrange "pogroms", tearing the ground in search of insects. Also, amadillas, roaming the field, crush the landings, sometimes causing significant damage.
The "pocket dinosaur" has no special economic value. Indians never eat armadillo meat, for example (because of its pronounced musky flavor). But some Europeans consider this product quite tasty and reminiscent of pork. Therefore, armadillos are not only exterminated by farmers, but also by lovers of delicacies. This animal does not belong to endangered species. However, even today it is considered rare.
Extinct giant armadillos
Priodontes maximus - today, as mentioned,the largest member of the family. However, in prehistoric times, of course, much more “overall” armadillos also lived on Earth. For example, in the south of North America (10-11 thousand years ago), glyptodons and doedicuruses lived relatively recently, outwardly very similar to the modern Priodontes maximus, but having a much larger size. Their remains are often found by archaeologists. The body length of these monsters could reach 3-4 meters.
