They are so called as because they can roll into a ball and take up a defensive posture when threatened. The nine-banded armadillo leaps vertically when startled. If you can't find the armadillo you are looking for by common name or by scientific name, try the Armadillo Pictures page for help. Both sets of links will take you to the same place. If you would like to look up a particular species, go to the tree at the bottom of this page. The armadillo is native to both North America and South America, although only one species of Armadillo is found in the United States.. The nine-banded armadillo is the only species in the United States, and it’s Dasypus novemcinctus, which translates as “hairy-foot (in Greek) nine-belts (in Latin).” There are 21 species of armadillo, almost all of them native to South America. The word Xenarthran. If you want to browse by common name, use the links below. scientific name, however, is Dasypodidan. An armadillo isn't a reptile, even though it has a shell. As its scientific name, C. truncatus, suggests, the fairy armadillo is truncated; the rear of the carapace is vertical, and the animal uses it as a flat plate to plug the entrance of its burrow. Armadillo lizards are endemic to the desert areas of the west coast of South Africa. The nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus), or the nine-banded, long-nosed armadillo, is a medium-sized mammal found in North, Central, and South America, making it the most widespread of the armadillos. reffers to armadillos, anteaters, sloths, and pangolins. The average armadillo measures around 75cm in length, including the tail but the giant armadillo can grow to more than 1.5m long and the miniature pink fairy armadillo (the smallest armadillo species) only gets to around 10cm in length. Its ancestors originated in South America, and remained there until the formation of the Isthmus of Panama allowed them to enter North America as part of the Great American Interchange. Scientific Name: Dasypus novemcinctus (L.) Classification: They are diurnal, slow-moving and stay in social groups. Armadillo. The. Armadillo is a Spanish word meaning “little armored one” and refers to the bony plates that cover the back, head, legs, and tail of most of these odd looking creatures. Armadillos also may run away, burrow, or claw at attackers. Common Name: Nine-banded armadillo (9BA); common long-nosed armadillo; cachicamo; tatu-hu; tatu verdadeiro.