LESSER HAIRY ARMADILLO Chaetophractus vellerosus FAUNA PARAGUAY

Chaetophractus vellerosus (Gray 1865) Image Gallery
TAX: Class Mammalia; Subclass Theria; Infraclass Eutheria; Order Cingulata; Family Dasypodidae; Subfamily Euphractinae (Myers et al 2006, Möller-Krull et al 2007). Three species are recognised in this genus, two are present in Paraguay. Chaetophractus is taken from the Greek meaning "hairy shell", the specific name vellerosus is from the Latin and also means "hairy". The genus Chaetophractus was defined by Fitzinger in 1871. There are two recognised subspecies, that present in Paraguay being C.v.vellerosus. Formerly placed in the Chaetophractinae, Möller-Krull et al (2007) provided DNA evidence that demonstrated their position within the Euphractinae. Synonyms adapted from Gardner (2007):
Cryptophractus brevirostris Fitzinger 1860:385. Nomen nudum.
Dasypus vellerosus Gray 1865:376. Type locality "Santa Cruz de la Sierra", Santa Cruz, Bolivia.
Dasyphractus brevirostris Fitzinger 1871:264. Type locality "Chili" Chile.
[Dasypus (Choetophractus)] vellerosus Trouessart 1898:1146. Name combination.
Dasypus boliviensis Grandidier & Neveu-Lemaire 1908:5. Type locality "Environs d´Uyuni (Bolivie), à 3660 mètres d´altitude", Potosi, Bolivia. Preoccupied by Tatusia boliviensis Gray 1873 (=Dasypus novemcinctus Linnaeus 1758).
Dasypus villerosus Grandidier & Neveu-Lemaire 1908:6. Incorrect spelling.
Chaetophractus vellerosus vellerosus Yepes 1928:500. First use of current name.
E[uphractus]. vellerosus Krumbiegel 1940:56. Name combination.
Euphractus villosus desertorum Krumbiegel 1940:61. Type locality "San Carlo", Chaco, Argentina.
ENG: Lesser Hairy Armadillo, Small Hairy Armadillo (Redford & Eisenberg 1992), Small Screaming Armadillo (Redford & Eisenberg 1992), Screaming Hairy Armadillo (Neris et al 2002).
ESP: Pichi peludo (Neris et al 2002), Quirquincho chico (Redford & Eisenberg 1992, Díaz & Barquez 2002), Piche Llorón (Redford & Eisenberg 1992), Tatú Llorón (Cuéllar & Noss 2003).
GUA: Tatu poju´i (Neris et al 2002), Taturavuku (Cuéllar & Noss 2003), Tatundovivi (Cuéllar & Noss 2003), Tatukirisi (Cuéllar & Noss 2003). "Poju" refers to the needle-like claws of the forefeet, the addition of "i" meaning small. In other words "little Tatu poju", or small version of Six-banded Armadillo, the species commonly known as Tatu poju in Paraguay.
DES: A medium-small armadillo with conspicuously long, tan-coloured hairs and a notably rounded carapace. Possesses 7 or 8 movable bands between the scapular and pelvic shields and at least 2 neck bands. There are no holes in the posterior part of the pelvic shield. The head shield is large, notably downcurved in profile on the forehead and reaches almost to the base of the snout - it has a width to length ratio of 0.9 to 0.95 (Myers and Wetzel 1979). It is composed of small disorganised scutes and has a straight posterior border. The head shield is curved over the eye and the scutes are smooth. Head and carapace greyish with pinkish or yellowish edging to scutes, most obvious on the movable bands of the neck and mid-region. Ears are long, projecting well above the head and are greyish in colour, scaled on the outer surface with a pinkish tinge to the basal part of the inner ear. Pushed backwards the ears extend beyond the second row of scapular scutes. Sides of head and ventral skin pale flesh with long tufts of hair on cheeks, legs and throat, the hairs of the underparts are longest, tinged greyish on the flanks and paler in the mid-ventral area. Nose pinkish. Legs short but robust with flattened claws on all toes. There are four claws on the forefeet, the second of which is the longest. CR: No information. CR: DF: Armadillos lack true teeth, but possess a series of "molariform" teeth that do not follow the standard mammal dental formula. 9/9 = 36. First molariform located in the premaxillary as in Euphractus. CN: 2n=60.
TRA: No information.
MMT: A medium-small armadillo with a rounded carapace. TL: male 37.6cm (32.8-40cm), female 36.8cm (26.5-41.9cm); HB: unsexed (21-25.3cm); TA: male 11.4cm (8.4-13.1cm), female 11.2cm (7.7-13.8cm), unsexed (10-12.8cm); FT: male 4.9cm (4-5.3cm), female 4.8cm (3.1-5.6cm), unsexed (4.4-5.1cm); EA: male 2.8cm (2.2-3.1cm), female 2.7cm (2.2-3.1 cm), unsexed (2.5-3.3cm); WT: male 860g (543-1,329g), female 814g (257-1.126g); May be up to 10% heavier during winter due to a 1-2cm thick layer of subcutaenous fat. (Parera 2002, Eisenberg & Redford 1999, Ceresoli et al 2003, Neris et al 2002, Redford & Eisenberg 1992).
SSP: Unlikely to be confused in Paraguay, this is much the smallest of the Hairy Armadillos. It can be further distinguished by its proportionately longer ears than other "Peludos" and the fact that it lacks holes in the pelvic shield. Note the smooth scutes of the cephalic shield and the pale-coloured hair on the body.
DIS: Distributed in arid areas from western Bolivia through the Paraguayan Chaco to central Argentina and west-central Chile. The nominate subspecies C.v.vellerosus occupies the northern part of the range, with C.v.pannosus (O.Thomas 1902) replacing it in central Argentina south to Provincia Mendoza. Typically it occurs in areas with low rainfall of between 200 and 600mm per year, though the species is also present in Provincia Buenos Aires where the rainfall is c1000mm. In Paraguay it is most numerous in the Central Chaco, being less frequently encountered or absent from the more northerly areas of the Chaco and less common in the Humid Chaco. The species is also present in cerrado areas of the northern Orient in Departamentos Concepción and Amambay.
HAB: Typical of dry, xeric areas with a loose and often sandy soil. They are absent from areas with rocky soil which impedes burrow construction. In the Chaco they are found in matorral and chaco scrub, as well as agricultural areas and even human settlements. In the northern Orient they are found in dry campo sucio cerrado and grassland. Abba et al (2007) found that the species burrows were found mainly in primary native woodland with calcaneous soils in the Buenos Aires area of Argentina, but that they tended to forage in adjacent, more open habitats.
ALI: The majority of the daily activity is attributed to foraging and there has been some seasonal variation in diet noted by researchers. Greegor (1980a) working in the Monte Desert of NW Argentina stated that insects dominate the diet in the summer (46% by volume) and plant matter predominates in winter (50.7% by volume) when insect matter drops to 25.7%. A significant vertebrate content in the diet was also detected, typically lizards, birds, anurans and mice such as Elygomodontia and Phyllotis (27.7% by volume in summer, 13.9% by volume in winter). Scorpions were found in 31% of stomachs analysed in summer and 47% of winter stomach, and though spiders were equally common they appeared to be absent from the diet. Stomach analysis in the Bolivian Chaco revealed vegetable material to predominate in the diet (56%) typically fruits of Algarrobo Prosopis chilensis, Mistol Ziziphus mistol, Yvyra hû Sideroxylon obtusifolium supplemented with beetles, ants and termites (40%) (Cuéllar & Noss 2003). In Buenos Aires Province, Argentina a 14 month study found that 63.6% of stomach contents consisted of animal material, with just 18% plant material. Insects predominated in the diet during spring and winter, but plant material predominated during autumn. (Soibelzon et al 2007). Soibelzon et al (2007) noted that they were not able to confirm whether vertebrates in stomachs were captured alive or consumed as carrion, but hypothesised that amphibians and reptiles present in stomachs were likely captured underground, when rendered immobile by thermal factors and that the armadillos most likely made use of prey items that were most abundant and easy to capture during any given season. A considerable amount of sand is often ingested when foraging and has accounted for up to 50% of the content of some examined stomachs (Greegor 1980a). Over the course of 5 nights an individual in Catamarca was recorded to probe for food 222 times and dug 19 burrows, frequently retracing the paths of previous evenings and revisiting the same burrows (Greegor 1980b). This species is able to pass long periods without drinking (Eisenberg & Redford 1999) and derives the majority of its water from its food thanks to an extremely efficient renal system. Captive specimens maintained on a dehydrated meat diet were able to remain in water balance where Nine-banded Armadillos were not. (Greegor 1975).
REP: In the Bolivian Chaco the presence of lactating females suggest that the species breeds from November to January (Cuéllar & Noss 2003).
BEH: General Behaviour Though occasionally active by day this species is principally nocturnal with peaks of activity from 8pm to 3am (Cuéllar & Noss 2003). Burrows typically have numerous entrances, often located at the base of shrubs or under some kind of vegetation cover, and the entrance ranges from 80-150mm in diameter. Mean burrow slope is 28º (Greegor 1974). Individual animals have several burrows within the home range and burrow systems may be several metres long. They do not necessarily use the same burrow on consecutive nights and generally enter and leave any given by burrow by different holes (Greegor 1980b). When present the animal usually seals the entrance with plant material. No nest is built in the burrow. Minimum home range for one individual has been estimated at 3.4ha. (Redford & Eisenberg 1992), however there appears to be a difference in home range according to habitat-type, being around 4ha in humid areas but considerably larger in more arid environments (Edentate Specialist Group 2004). On one night an individual in Catamarca, Argentina was recorded to move between 650 and 1400m whilst foraging (Greegor 1980b). Defensive Behaviour Typically runs from danger, being capable of high-speeds and adopting a zig-zagging path to confuse the pursuer. Heads rapidly for its burrow. Captured individuals have been documented to emit a high-pitched scream. Parasites Navone (1990) recorded the nematode Aspidodera fasciata (Aspidoderidae) and the cestode Mathevotaenia diminuta (Anoplocephalidae) in this species in the Argentinean Chaco.
VOC: Frequently emits loud screams of protest when handled, though in the authors experience with several animals in the Paraguayan Chaco, none have produced vocalisations when handled.
HUM: According to a long term study of the diet of the Isoso indigenous in group in the Bolivian Chaco this was the least frequently hunted armadillo species (Cuéllar & Noss 2003). Soibelzon (2007) concluded that their tendency to prey on potential pest species such as larvae of Scarabaeidae, Noctuidae and Curculionidae means that their presence in agricultural areas may even be beneficial to farmers.
CON: The Lesser Hairy Armadillo is considered Low Risk, least concern by the IUCN, click here to see their latest assessment of the species. The species is not listed by CITES. Though only confirmed to be present in Paraguay in 1979 (Myers and Wetzel 1979), this is one of the more commonly-encountered armadillo species in the Central Chaco area. This species is able to withstand considerable alteration of habitat by humans and is not unduly affected (and may even have benefited from) ranching and farming practices in the areas around the Mennonite colonies. The species is frequently seen on roads in the Mennonite colonies.
Citable Reference: Smith P (2008) FAUNA Paraguay Online Handbook of Paraguayan Fauna Mammal Species Account 12 Chaetophractus vellerosus.
Last Updated: 23 June 2009.
References:
Abba AM, Vizcaino SF, Cassini SH 2007 - Effects of Land Use on the Distribution of Three Species of Armadillos in the Argentinean Pampas - Journal of Mammalogy 88: p502-507.
Cartés JL 2007 - Patrones de Uso de los Mamíferos del Paraguay: Importancia Sociocultural y Económica p167-186 in Biodiversidad del Paraguay: Una Aproximación a sus Realidades - Fundación Moises Bertoni, Asunción.
Ceresoli N, Jimenez GT, Duque EF 2003 - Datos Morfómetricos de los Armadillos del Complejo Ecológico de Sánz Peña, Provincia del Chaco, Argentina - Edentata 5: p35-37.
Chiarello A, Cuéllar E, Meritt D, Porini G, Members of the Edentate Specialist Group 2006 - Chaetophractus villosus in IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Downloaded 4 January 2008.
Cuéllar E, Noss A 2003 - Mamíferos del Chaco y de la Chiquitania de Santa Cruz, Bolivia - Editorial FAN, Santa Cruz.
de la Peña MR, Pensiero JF 2004 - Plantas Argentinas: Catálogo de Nombres Comúnes - LOLA, Buenos Aires.
Díaz MM, Barquez RM 2002 - Los Mamíferos de Jujuy, Argentina - LOLA, Buenos Aires.
Edentate Specialist Group 2004 - The 2004 Edentate Species Assessment Workshop - Edentata 6: p1-26.
Eisenberg JF, Redford KH 1999 - Mammals of the Neotropics: Volume 3 The Central Neotropics - University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
Fitzinger LJ 1860 - Die Ausbeute der Österreichischen Naturforscher an Säugethieren und Reptilien Während der Weltumsegelung Sr. Majestät Fregatte Novarre - Sitzungsber. Kaiserl. Akad. Wiss. Wien 42:p383-416.
Fitzinger LJ 1871 - Die Natürliche Familie der Gürtheliere (Dasypodes) I Abtheilung - Sitzungsber. Kaiserl. Akad. Wiss. Wien 64:p209-276.
Gardner AL 2007 - Mammals of South America Volume 1: Marsupials, Xenarthrans, Shrews and Bats - University of Chicago Press.
Grandidier G, Neveu-Lemaire M 1908 - Observations Relatives à Quelques Tatou Rares ou Inconnus Habitant la "Puna" Argentine et Bolivienne - Bull. Museu Histoire Naturelle de Paris 14: p4-7.
Gray JE 1865 - Revision of the Genera and Species of Entomophagous Edentata, Founded on the Examination of the Specimens in the British Museum - Proceedings of Zoological Society of London 1865: p359-386.
Gray JE 1873 - Hand-list of the Edentate, Thick-skinned and Ruminant Mammals in the British Museum - British Museum of Natural History, London.
Greegor D H 1975 - Renal capabilities of an Argentine desert armadillo - Journal of Mammalogy 56: p626-632.
Greegor DH 1980a - Diet of the Little Hairy Armadillo Chaetophractus vellerosus of Northwestern Argentina - Journal of Mammalogy 61: p331-334.
Greegor DH 1980b - Preliminary Study of Movements of and Home Range of the Armadillo Chaetophractus vellerosus - Journal of Mammalogy 61: p334-335.
Krumbiegel I 1940 - Die Säugthiere der Südamerika Expeditionen Prof. Dr. Kriegs 1. Gürteltiere. Zool. Anz. 131: p49-73.
Linnaeus C 1758 - Systema Naturae per Regna Tria Naturae, Secundum Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species cum Characteribus, Diferentiis, Synonymis, Locis. Editio Decima. - Laurentii Salvii, Holmiae.
Möller-Krull M, Delsuc F, Churakov G, Marker C, Superina M, Brosius J, Douzery EJP, Schmitz J 2007 - Retroposed Elements and Their Flanking Regions Resolve the Evolutionary History of Xenarthran Mammals (Armadillos, Anteaters and Sloths) - Molecular Biology and Evolution 24: p2573-2582.
Myers P, Espinosa R, Parr CS, Jones T, Hammond GS, Dewey A 2006 - The Animal Diversity Web (online). Accessed January 2008.
Myers P, Wetzel RM 1979 - New Records of Mammals from Paraguay - Journal of Mammalogy 60: p638-641.
Navone GT 1990 - Estudio de la Distribución, Porcentaje y Microecología de los Parásitos de Algunas Especies de Edentados Argentinos - Studies in Neotropical Fauna and Environment 25: p199-210.
Neris N, Colman F, Ovelar E, Sukigara N, Ishii N 2002 - Guía de Mamíferos Medianos y Grandes del Paraguay: Distribución, Tendencia Poblacional y Utilización - SEAM, Asunción.
Nowak RM 1991 - Walker´s Mammals of the World 5th Ed Volume 1 - Johns Hopkins, Baltimore.
Parera A 2002 - Los Mamíferos de la Argentina y la Región Austral de Sudamérica - Editorial El Ateneo, Buenos Aires.
Redford KH, Eisenberg JF 1992 - Mammals of the Neotropics: Volume 2 The Southern Cone - University of Chigaco Press, Chicago.
Soibelzon E, Negrete GDJ, Carlini AA, Plischuk S 2007 - Annual Diet of the Little Hairy Armadillo Chaetophractus vellerosus (Mammalia, Dasypodidae) in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina - Journal of Mammalogy 88: p1319-1324.
Trouessart EL 1898 - Catalogus Mammalium tam Viventium quam Fossilium. Fasciculus V: Sirenia, Cetacea, Edentata, Marsupialia, Allotheria, Monotremata - R.Friedländer & Sohn, Berolini.
Yepes J 1928 - Los "Edentata" Argentinos. Sistemática y Distribución - Revista Universidad de Buenos Aires Serie 2a 1:p461-515.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Many thanks to Mariella Superina for assisting with obtaining some of the references used in the construction of this species account.