Chacoan naked-tailed armadillo

The Chacoan naked-tailed armadillo (Cabassous chacoensis) is a species of South American armadillo.^[2]

Chacoan naked-tailed armadillo[1]
Conservation status
Near Threatened  (IUCN 3.1)[2]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Cingulata
Family:	Chlamyphoridae
Subfamily:	Tolypeutinae
Genus:	Cabassous
Species:	C. chacoensis
Binomial name
Cabassous chacoensis Wetzel, 1980
Chacoan naked-tailed armadillo range

It is the smallest of the naked-tailed armadillos, having an average head-body length of 30 cm (12 in), while the other species range from 32 to 46 cm (13 to 18 in). They also have smaller ears than the other species, and their ears also have a distinctive fleshy expansion on the forward edge that other species lack.^[3]

As its name suggests, the Chacoan naked-tailed armadillo is found in the Gran Chaco region of western Paraguay and north-central Argentina.^[3] It may also be found in Bolivia, and possibly Brazil.^[2] Within this region, it is more likely to be found in semi-arid, rather than humid, habitats,^[4] typically inhabiting open thorn forest and scrub.^[3]

Little is known of its biology and behaviour, although it is known to be nocturnal, and an active burrower. They feed primarily on ants and termites. They have been reported to make a grunting call, and to give birth to a single young at a time.^[3]

References

1. Gardner, A.L. (2005). "Order Cingulata". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 97–98. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
2. Meritt, D.A.; Superina, M.; Abba, A.M. (2014). "Cabassous chacoensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2014: e.T3413A47437534. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-1.RLTS.T3413A47437534.en. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
3. V. Hayssen (September 2014). "Cabassous chacoensis (Cingulata: Dasypodidae)". Mammalian Species. 46 (908): 24–27. doi:10.1644/908.
4. Abba, A.M.; et al. (2012). "Distribution of extant xenarthrans (Mammalia: Xenarthra) in Argentina using species distribution models". Mammalia. 76 (2): 123–136. doi:10.1515/mammalia-2011-0089. hdl:11336/81154. S2CID 84391812.