Llanos long-nosed armadillo
The savanna armadillo ( Dasypus sabanicola ) is a small species of armadillos and lives in the savannas of the Llanos in the north of South America. However, the independence of the belt species is not clear what needs further examination. The solitary animal feeds mainly on insects and is diurnal. The stock is considered to be unthreatened.
Features
The savanna armadillo reaches a head -body length of about 29 cm, the tail is about two-thirds of the body length and is quite wide at the base. The body weight of 1.4 kg to 1.5 kg. Thus, the belt species is about as big as the seven -banded armadillo ( Dasypus septemcinctus ) and the Southern Seven -banded Armadillo ( Dasypus hybridus ). The head is an average of 6.8 cm long, the ears have a length of about 3 cm. The characteristic carapace is divided into three parts, with a solid shoulder and just such a part of the basin, and an average of 8 mobile, interconnected by flaps of skin in between bands. The number of mobile belts, which is slightly higher than that of the two wires banded armadillo species. The moving bands are composed of small, triangular bone plates, one of which has the fourth 43-62. The stronger armor parts are, however, typical of the long-nosed armadillos, of roundish bone plates. The short legs have four front and rear five -rays, each ending in claws.
Distribution and habitat
The distribution area of savanna armadillo is located in northern South America, here it comes from the north-west of the state of Bolivar in Venezuela to Colombia in the lowlands east of the Andes before, but it has not settled the territories of the Gran Sabana. The entire circulation area covers 445,000 km ², which actually inhabited area is unknown, as is the size of the stock. The habitat includes open savannah and bush landscapes of the Llanos, here preferred the way especially habitats with sand or loam rich soils. They can be found at altitudes of 25 to 200 m above sea level, partly it also happens at the edges of forests and gallery forests. In intact natural landscapes, it is usually more common, the savanna armadillo generally occurs but rarely on.
Way of life
Territorial behavior
The savanna armadillo lives as a loner and is in contrast to most other armadillo species diurnal. This is probably due to the relatively constant temperatures of around 27 ° C in the savannas. It uses action spaces ( home range ) with a size from 1.7 to 11.6 ha, where the belt species lays highly branched underground structures with multiple inputs. Prior to these nests are built from plant materials which serve to a protection of young animals, on the other hand from possible flooding.
Nutrition
The diet consists mainly of insects. Stomach contents from Venezuela passed 45% of termites, ants, and to 22% from 18% of beetles. Similar studies in Colombia even showed up to 88% and 10% termite ants, the proportion of beetles lay here at 1%. This outweighed largely representative of the termite family Rhinotermitidae, where workers were predominantly consumed. Furthermore, the inclusion of sand and clay promotes the mineral balance.
Reproduction
Fertilization occurs mostly in April and May, the young animals are then brought to the world of August to September. In general, a litter includes four Young, the distance between two birth cycles is approximately one year. During the rearing the young animals spend part of the time in the nests before the entrances of the buildings, while the dam near goes in search of food.
Parasites
The most common external parasites include ticks of the genus Amblyomma on internal parasites are mainly nematodes demonstrated to highlight Acanthocheilonema is sabanicolae, a little worm, nestling beneath the skin. Furthermore, the savanna armadillo carrier of Mycobacterium leprae that leprosy can cause in humans, although the risk of transmission may be rather low. The same is true for Trypanosoma cruzi as the cause of the frequent in South America, Chagas disease, which is also demonstrated in savanna armadillo.
System
Dasypodinae
Tolypeutes
Priodontes
Chlamyphorinae
Zaedyus
Chaetophractus
Euphractus
The savanna armadillo is one of seven extant species of the genus long nose armadillos ( Dasypus ). The long-nosed armadillos are in turn incorporated into the family of armadillos ( Dasypodidae ) and form within this own subfamily, Dasypodinae. Among these, the now-extinct genera Stegotherium and Propraopus are also counted, the former from the Miocene is widely known and several species involved, the latter, however, dates back to the Pleistocene, and also appeared with several species. According to molecular genetic studies, the Dasypodinae had already separated in the Upper Eocene, around 37 million years ago from the line of other armadillos. As most closely related group Tolypeutinae be considered, which include the ball armadillos ( Tolypeutes ), the naked-tailed armadillo ( Cabassous ) and the giant armadillo ( Priodontes ).
Together with the nine -banded ( Dasypus novemcinctus ), the seven -banded ( Dasypus septemcinctus ), the Southern Seven -banded ( Dasypus hybridus ) and the Yungas armadillo ( Dasypus yepesi ) forms the savanna armadillo a close related with each group of the subgenus Dasypus belongs, the Nine-banded Armadillo is clearly on the outside. The Kappler Armadillo ( Dasypus kappleri ) is placed against it in its own subgenus Hyperoambon, as well as the fur armadillo ( Dasypus pilosus ) with Cryptophractus. Within the subgenus Dasypus the closest relatives are but the two seven -banded armadillo species. Some researchers suggest that all three species should be compiled into one, which would then contain three regional variations widespread subspecies, although there is no sufficient genetic analyzes. Molecular Genetics Studies have shown that the Kappler and the Nine-banded Armadillo parted before around 6 million years ago at the end of the Miocene, therefore the further subdivision of the subgenus would have to be done later. Fossil evidence of the savanna armadillo derived from the bitumen mine de Mene Inciarte in Venezuela and are 25000-28000 years old, which belong to the late Pleistocene. However, they comprise only a few segments of the fixed tank. The same time come here but also the remains of other extinct armadillo representatives on such of Propraopus or Pampatherium from the closely related family Pampatheriidae and the gigantic Glyptodon from the family of Glyptodontidae.
Threat and protection
Local is heavily hunted the savannahs Armadillo and used as a food resource. In addition, inventory hazards exist through habitat destruction. The IUCN classifies the species as a belt " not at risk " ( least concern ), but is unknown in which direction the stock size evolves. In Venezuela, the savanna armadillo is found in several protected areas. It is also partly held as a laboratory animal.