Dasypus

Dasypus[2]
Temporal range: Late Miocene-Recent, 9–0 Ma [1]
Dasypus novemcinctus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Cingulata
Family: Dasypodidae
Subfamily: Dasypodinae
Genus: Dasypus
Linnaeus, 1758
Type species
Dasypus novemcinctus
Species
Synonyms
  • Hyperoambon Peters, 1864[3]

Dasypus is the only extant genus in the family Dasypodidae. Its species are known as long-nosed or naked-tailed armadillos. They are found in South, Central, and North America,[4] as well as on the Caribbean islands of Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago.[5] Members of Dasypus are solitary and primarily nocturnal to avoid temperature extremes and predation.[6] They exist in numerous habitats ranging from brush to grassland areas and are mainly insectivorous.[7]

The most common and widespread of the Dasypus species is the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcintus), which is commonly used in the study of leprosy due to its unique ability to contract the disease.[4]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference FW_D.neogaeus was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Gardner, A.L. (2005). "Genus Dasypus". 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. 94–95. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
  3. ^ "Hyperoambon Peters, 1864". www.gbif.org. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  4. ^ a b McDonald, K; Larson, J (2011). "Dasypus novemcinctus". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
  5. ^ Gardner, A.L. (2005). "Dasypus novemcinctus". 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. 94–95. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
  6. ^ Rosa, PS; Pinke, CAE; Silva, EA (2009). "The effect of iron supplementation in the diet of Dasypus novemcinctus (Linnaeus, 1758) armadillos in captivity". Brazilian Journal of Biology. 69 (1): 117–122. doi:10.1590/S1519-69842009000100014. PMID 19347153.
  7. ^ Schaefer, J.M.; Hostetler, M.E. (2003). "The nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus)". University of Florida IFAS Extension. Retrieved 5 October 2014.