Nine-banded Armadillo

The nine-banded armadillo is the most widespread armadillo species, native to the Americas and ranging from South America north through Central America and into the southern United States, where its range has expanded considerably over the past century. It is recognized by a hard, segmented shell of bony plates covering its back, formed of a series of bands that allow some flexibility, and by its habit of digging burrows with powerful clawed feet. Nine-banded armadillos are mostly nocturnal and feed primarily on insects and other invertebrates, which they locate with a keen sense of smell while snuffling through leaf litter and soil, and the species is notable among mammals for typically giving birth to four genetically identical offspring from a single egg. It remains common and is classified as being of least concern.