Facts about Armadillo leathery Armour shell

Facts about Armadillo leathery Armour shell. Armadillos are the last survival Pleistocene mammals on earth. The word armadillo means “little armoured one” in Spanish as the animal are surrounded by leathery strong armour shell. Their average length of armadillos are about 75 cm including tail. The giant armadillo grows up to 150 cm and weighs up to 54 kg, while the pink fairy armadillo is a diminutive species, with an overall length of 13–15 cm. These mammal are found in South America. Pink Fairries are the smallest species of armadillos while the largest species called the giant armadillo. The shell of armadillos are formed by plates of dermal bone covered in relatively small, overlapping epidermal scales called “scutes”, composed of bone with a covering of horn. Most species have rigid shields over the shoulders and hips, with a number of bands separated by flexible skin covering the back and flanks. Additional armour covers the top of the head, the upper parts of the limbs, and the tail. The underside of the animal is never armoured, and is simply covered with soft skin and fur.