nine-banded armadillo

Skeleton of nine-banded armadillo on display at the Museum of Osteology The nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus), also called the nine-banded long-nosed armadillo or common armadillo, is a species of armadillo native to South America. The Mexican long-nosed armadillo of North America was formerly treated as a subspecies of the nine-banded armadillo.

The nine-banded armadillo is a solitary, mainly nocturnal animal, found in many kinds of habitats, from mature and secondary rainforests to grassland and dry scrub. It is an insectivore, feeding chiefly on ants, termites, and other small invertebrates. The armadillo can jump 91–120 cm (3–4 ft) straight in the air if sufficiently frightened, making it a particular danger on roads.