Greater Long-nosed Armadillo

About the Greater Long-nosed Armadillo

The greater long-nosed armadillo (Dasypus kappleri) is a South American species of armadillo found in Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Peru, Bolivia and Brazil. It is a solitary, nocturnal, terrestrial animal that feeds on arthropods and other invertebrates, usually living in the vicinity of streams and swamps.

One of the larger species of armadillo, it measures 83 to 106 cm (33 to 42 in) in total length and generally weighing 8.5 to 10.5 kg (19 to 23 lb), though it can reach as much as 15 kg (33 lb). Spurs on its hind legs allow it to crawl on its knees into narrow tunnels.

Two subspecies are recognised: D. k. kappleri (Krauss, 1862), also called the Guianan Shield long-nosed armadillo, is found from southeastern Colombia, southern Venezuela, French Guiana, Guyana and Suriname to the lower part of the Amazon Basin in Brazil.

D. k. pastasae (Thomas, 1901), also called the West Amazonian long-nosed armadillo, is from eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru, northeastern Bolivia and the upper part of the Amazon basin in Brazil. The greater long-nose armadillo is the largest armadillo in its genus. Its head-and-body length is between... Wikipedia →