Pink fairy armadillo

The pink fairy armadillo (Chlamyphorus truncatus) is the smallest species of armadillo, first described by Richard Harlan in 1825. The pink fairy armadillo is long, and typically weighs about . This solitary, desert-adapted animal is endemic to the deserts and scrub lands of central Argentina. The pink fairy armadillo is closely related to the only other fairy armadillo (Chlamyphorinae), the greater fairy armadillo.

Pink fairy armadillos have small eyes, silky yellowish white fur, and flexible dorsal shells that are attached to their bodies solely by thin dorsal membranes. Their spatula-shaped tails protrude from vertical plates at the blunt rear of their shells. They exhibit nocturnal and solitary habits and feed themselves largely on insects, worms, snails, and various plant parts. The pink fairy armadillo has a unique ability to bury itself in a matter of seconds, using its specialised claws to dig into sandy or loamy soils. This behaviour helps protect the armadillo from predators and extreme temperatures, as well as conserve moisture in its arid habitat. Research conducted in 2009 supported the idea that the three previously identified subfamilies Dasypodinae, Euphractinae, and Tolypeutinae of armadillos, which separated shortly after the Eocene-Oligocene transition, were monophyletic. Chlamyphorinae, the subfamily, including the pink fairy armadillo, was found to display phylogenetic affinities with the clade Tolypeutinae. This was a significant step in defining the previously completely unknown phylogenetic position of this armadillo subfamily within Cingulata.

Range and habitat

Pink fairy armadillos are nocturnal burrowing mammals endemic to the xeric environment in central Argentina. In order for them to survive and maintain stability, they must occupy undisturbed places that contain sufficient amounts of compact sand and hiding places. This also refers to possible captivity conditions for this animal due to its desert-adapted characteristics.

Description

thumb|A taxidermied specimen

The pink fairy armadillo is long, and typically weighs about . This species is the smallest living armadillo and is among the least known.

The pink fairy armadillo can curl up to protect the vulnerable soft underside, covered with dense white hair. The armoured shell consists of 24 bands that allow the animal to curl up in a ball, and the armour is flattened in the posterior portion of the animal so that it can compress dirt behind it as it is digging. This compression strategy is thought to help prevent tunnel collapses. Lastly, the shell itself is also thought to help with thermoregulation. Since the underlying blood vessels are so close to the surface, the animal can control the amount of functional surface area exposed to the environment to retain or lose heat. Like most armadillos, they rely mostly on a sense of smell to find each other and their prey.

Along with these unique traits, the pink fairy armadillo has greatly reduced eyes and relies heavily on touch and hearing to navigate. It also has a torpedo-shaped body that reduces the amount of drag it may encounter while working in tunnels and a thick, hairless tail that it uses for balance and stability while using its other limbs to dig.

Etymology

The genus name comes from Ancient Greek χλαμύς (khlamús), meaning "cloak", and φόρος (phóros), "bearing". The specific epithet truncatus means "maimed" in Latin, referring to the species' truncated plates.

Threats

thumb|Illustration by [[Friedrich Specht]]

As a subterranean dweller, the armadillo is forced to leave its burrows when heavy storms roll in due to the threat of drowning and the risk of wetting its fur. If its fur is wet, the armadillo cannot properly thermoregulate and could experience hypothermia during night hours. Once above ground during a rainstorm, the armadillo is vulnerable to an array of predators. Domestic dogs have greatly preyed on these armadillos. Even their underground homes are not completely safe, as fairy armadillos are preyed upon in their burrows by domestic dogs and cats as well as wild boars.

Range and habitat

Description

Etymology

Threats

Further reading