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By Heather Hathaway
Geographic Range
Pink fairy armadillos (or pichiciegos) are found in the warm sandy plains of Argentina.
Biogeographic Regions:
neotropical 
(native ).
Habitat
These armadillos prefer to burrow in very dry soil. They leave their burrows if it is moistened by rainfall. These animals often burrow near anthills, so that they can be close to their food source.
Terrestrial Biomes:
savanna or grassland .
Physical Description
The pink fairy armadillo is the smallest member of the armadillo family, measuring only about five to six inches in length. It is also the only armadillo in which the dorsal shell is almost separate from the body.
Some key physical features:
endothermic ; bilateral symmetry .
Reproduction
Baby armadillos resemble their parents, but their shells do not completely harden until they are full grown.
Key reproductive features:
gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual .
Behavior
The pink fairy armadillo generally lives by itself. The animals stay in their burrrows during the day and feed at night. They are remarkable diggers.
Key behaviors:
motile .
Food Habits
These armadillos are omnivores, but they feed mainly on ants. Occasionally they eat worms, snails, and various plant and root materials.
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
None
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
Not much is known about their economic importance to humans or other animals.
Conservation Status
The pink fairy armadillos are declining in number due to the spread of human civilization, and they are considered quite rare.
For More Information
Find Chlamyphorus truncatus information at
Contributors
Heather Hathaway (author), University of Michigan.
