As promised, here’s another armadillo from out on Merritt Island in Florida. As I mentioned in the last post, armadillos are practically blind but they have a very good sense of smell. As soon the wind blew in its direction, the armadillo would sniff the air for a second or two, know that I was there, and then scurry into the woods. The tricky part was getting on the ground quick enough to get a shot.
Armadillo scales as well as other mammalians’ scales are the same as hair/nails and composed of keratin, but in a much denser or compact form. This is the same component that is a major part of reptilian and avian scales or feathers respectively. It’s an one of many evolutionary links in our animal world.
Yeah, it’s a hard bony material with flexible bands in the middle. This is the nine-banded armadillo because it has nine of these flexible bands. Another species, the hairy armadillo has 18 bands, while the three banded armadillo, of course, has only three.
We use cookies to enhance your experience while using our website. If you are using our Services via a browser you can restrict, block or remove cookies through your web browser settings. We also use content and scripts from third parties that may use tracking technologies. You can selectively provide your consent below to allow such third party embeds. For complete information about the cookies we use, data we collect and how we process them, please check our Privacy Policy
Craner, what is his coat (for lack of a better word) made of? Is it like his nails? It looks heavy.
Armadillo scales as well as other mammalians’ scales are the same as hair/nails and composed of keratin, but in a much denser or compact form. This is the same component that is a major part of reptilian and avian scales or feathers respectively. It’s an one of many evolutionary links in our animal world.
Yeah, it’s a hard bony material with flexible bands in the middle. This is the nine-banded armadillo because it has nine of these flexible bands. Another species, the hairy armadillo has 18 bands, while the three banded armadillo, of course, has only three.
Oh my goodness. I LOVE this one. How do I get one as a pet? Just kidding.
one of Gods uglier creature, but magnificent in its own right!!!!! Great shot
Now, now Shardae, we’ve already talked about your issues with owning wild animals.
Thanks for including me ….my classes look forward to these pix most every day….Jeff