What is an armadillon? Do you know what the word "armadillo" means? It's a Spanish word meaning "the little armored one." And that's just what an armadillo is, a little mammal with a bony covering that is like armor. There are ten different kinds of armadillos living from southern United States to southern South America. The upper parts of armadillos are covered with bony shells. These include one on the head and two solid pieces on the back. These two pieces are connected by a flexible center section made up of movable bands. This enables the armadillo to twist and turn. The number of these bands in the center is sometimes used as a name for the armadillo. For example, there is the seven-banded the eight-banded, and the nine-banded armadillo. The nine-banded armadillo is the only one found in the United States. The tail of the armadillo is also completely covered by armor-except in the case of one kind, and naturally it's called the soft-tailed armadillo! A very curious thing about the armadillo is that its teeth are simple pegs without enamel. It's one of those contradictions that nature seems fond of. A shell of armor on the body-and soft teeth! Most of the animals have just one set of teeth they are born with, and that's all. As a result of having such teeth, the armadillo has to eat soft food such as ants, termites, larvae, grubs, and bugs. As you know, such food is found in leaves and the soft ground, so to get at it the armadillo has to dig for it. Nature made up for the soft teeth by giving the armadillo long, strong claws and powerful forearms. An armadillo can dig faster than a dog! And it uses the claws and forearms to dig its burrow or to make itself a hole quickly into which it can escape from its enemies. The way most armadillos escape from their enemies is by digging or running away. Only one kind, the three-banded armadillo, rolls itself into a ball. Its shell is much heavier than that of the others, so this becomes a good way of protecting itself. For Details
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