Dasypodidae
Author
Russell A. Mittermeier
Author
Don E. Wilson
text
2018
2018-07-31
Lynx Edicions
Barcelona
Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 8 Insectivores, Sloths and Colugos
30
47
book chapter
68940
10.5281/zenodo.6631721
250d84e9-ba3f-4dd1-bf4f-f5f4c3da18d5
978-84-16728-08-4
6631721
5
.
Hairy Long-nosed Armadillo
Dasypus pilosus
French:
Tatou a long museau
/
German:
Pelzglrteltier
/
Spanish:
Mulita peluda
Other common names:
Woolly Armadillo
Taxonomy.
Cryptophractus pilosus Fitz- inger, 1856
,
“Peru.” Restricted by R. M. Wetzel and E. Mondolfi in 1979 to mon- tane Peru
.
Dasypus pilosus
was originally described as a species of Cryptophractus, which was used subsequently to separate it into its own subgenus. Currently, some have advocated reviving Cryptophractus based on morphological criteria, but molecular genetic data show that
D. pilosus
is nested well within
Dasypus
, perhaps an indication of a rapid evolutionary divergence after a relatively recent split (c.2-8 million years ago) within the
Dasypus
lineage. Monotypic.
Distribution.
E Andean slope of Peru from Amazonas to Junin departments. A habitat modeling study predicted that suitable areas for occurrence were also available in Cajamarca Department.
Descriptive notes.
Head-body 320-440 mm, tail 240-310 mm, ear ¢.50 mm, hindfoot 62-70 mm; weight 1.1-5 kg. The common name, the Hairy Long-nosed Armadillo, captures the moststriking aspect of its appearance, namely thick reddish tan to reddish gray hair that covers carapace and is found on cheeks and upper part of each
limb but not on the rest of head or tail. Hair is also present on ventral surface of body, but it is not as dense. Number of movable bands on carapace 1s most commonly 9-11.
Habitat.
Based on 25 specimen records, most likely high, moist, cloud, and subparamo forests of the Eastern Andes, generally at elevations of 2000-3500 m. An ecological niche modeling study indicated that restricted distribution of the Hairy Long-nosed Armadillo might be due to narrow thermal and precipitation tolerances.
Food and Feeding.
The Hairy L.ong-nosed Armadillo is thought to be a generalist insectivore like other dasypodid armadillos.
Breeding.
Litter size is thought to be four young, butthisis based on just a single museum specimen of an adult female that contained four embryos.
Activity patterns.
No information.
Movements, Home range and Social organization.
No information.
Status and Conservation.
Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. There has never been a published field study on the Hairy Long-nosed Armadillo. Apart from records of occurrence to estimate its distribution, nothing is known aboutits natural history and conservation threats.
Bibliography.
Castro et al. (2015), Feng Xiao, Castro et al. (2017), Gibb et al. (2016), Hautier et al. (2017), Superina & Abba (2014a), Wetzel (1985b), Wetzel & Mondolfi (1979), Wetzel et al. (2008).