{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "armadillo",
  "name": "Nine-Banded Armadillo",
  "scientificName": "Dasypus novemcinctus",
  "category": "Mammal",
  "summary": "The nine-banded armadillo is the only armadillo species widespread in the United States, recognised by its bony armour plates and ability to jump vertically when startled. It digs for insects and grubs, gives birth to identical quadruplets, and is expanding its range northward.",
  "conservationStatus": "Least Concern",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Mammalia",
    "order": "Cingulata",
    "family": "Dasypodidae",
    "genus": "Dasypus"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 6,
    "lengthM": 0.75,
    "topSpeedKmh": 48,
    "lifespanYears": 15
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Dasypus novemcinctus"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Insectivore — insects, grubs, and other invertebrates"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Grasslands, forests, and suburbs in the Americas"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "12–15 years in the wild"
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "3–6 kg (6.5–13 lb)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to 48 km/h (30 mph) in short bursts"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Least Concern (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "From Argentina and Uruguay north through Central America and Mexico into the southern and central United States, expanding northward.",
    "continents": [
      "North America",
      "South America"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Dasypus novemcinctus.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Dasypus%20novemcinctus&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Dasypus novemcinctus. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Dasypus_novemcinctus/"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/armadillo/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/armadillo/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}