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Chlamyphorus truncatus, Photo: Michael Lahanas Cladus: Eukaryota Name Chlamyphorus truncatus Harlan, 1825 Type locality: "Mendoza... interior of Chili, on the east of the Cordilleras, in lat. 33°25' and long. 69°47', in the province of Cuyo" (Río Tunuyán, 33°25'S, 69°45'W, Mendoza, Argentina (Cabrera, 1958)) References * Chlamyphorus truncatus on Mammal Species of the World. Vernacular names The Pink Fairy Armadillo (Chlamyphorus truncatus) or Pichiciego is the smallest species of armadillo (mammals of the family Dasypodidae, mostly known for having a bony armor shell). It is found in central Argentina where it inhabits dry grasslands and sandy plains with thorn bushes and cacti.
The Pink Fairy Armadillo is approximately 90–115 mm (3.5-4.5 inches) long excluding the tail, and is pale rose or pink in color. It has the ability to bury itself completely in a matter of seconds if frightened. It is a nocturnal animal. It burrows small holes near ant colonies in dry dirt, and feeds mainly on ants and ant larvae near its burrow. Occasionally it feeds on worms, snails, insects and larvae, or various plant and root material. The Pink Fairy Armadillo spends much of its time under the ground as it is a "sand swimmer" similar to the Golden Mole or the Marsupial Mole. They use large front claws to agitate the sand, allowing them to almost swim through the ground like it is water. It is torpedo-shaped and has a shielded head to prevent abrasion from the sand. Status In 1996 the species was classed as endangered by the IUCN, [2] then downgraded to "near threatened" in 2006, and in 2008 changed to "data deficient", [2] despite concern over habitat destruction, particularly due to cattle farming.[2] This armadillo is found in several protected areas, including the Lihué Calel National Park.[2] Both national and provincial legislation is in place specifically protecting the species.[2] References 1. ^ Gardner, Alfred (16 November 2005). Wilson, Don E., and Reeder, DeeAnn M., eds. ed. Mammal Species of the World (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2 vols. (2142 pp.). pp. 96. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494. http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3. Source: Wikipedia, Wikispecies: All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License |
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