Name this animal. (In a famous scene from Friends, Ross came dressed as this animal as well)
Porcupine
Hedgehog
Tapir
Armadillo
Answer: Armadillo
Armadillos (Spanish for “little armoured ones”) are placental mammals of the order Cingulata from the New World. The Chlamyphoridae and Dasypodidae are the only surviving families in the order, which, along with anteaters and sloths, is part of the superorder Xenarthra. There are nine extinct genera and 21 extant species of armadillo, some of which are identified by the number of bands on their armour. All of the species are native to the Americas, where they live in a range of habitats.
Armadillos have a leathery protective shell as well as long, sharp claws for digging. They have short legs, yet they can move swiftly. An armadillo’s average length, including its tail, is about 75 cm (30 in). The enormous armadillo can grow to be 150 cm (59 in) long and weigh up to 54 kg (119 lb), but the pink fairy armadillo is just 13–15 cm (5–6 in) long. When attacked by a predator, Tolypeutes species usually curl up into a ball; they are the only armadillo species that can do so.
In Spanish, armadillo means “small armoured one.” They were known as Nahuatl meaning “turtle-rabbit” (turtle) and tchtli by the Aztecs (rabbit). Tatu, which is derived from the Tupi language, is the Portuguese term for “armadillo.” Similar names can also be found in other languages, particularly in European languages.
Recent genetic study reveals that the armadillo lineage includes an ancient genus of enormous armoured mammals known as glyptodonts, which separated 35 million years ago, much more recently than previously thought.
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