nine-banded armadillo

[ nahyn-ban-did ]

noun

1. an armadillo, Dasypus novemcinctus, of the southern U.S. to Argentina, having nine hinged bands of bony plates, the female of which usually gives birth to quadruplets that are always of the same sex.

Word History and Origins

Origin of nine-banded armadillo¹

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

Today, there are only three survivors: the nine-banded armadillo, the Virginia opossum and the North American porcupine.

From Science Daily

Zoonomia demonstrated how some mammals have a very keen sense of smell - Hoffman's two-toed sloth, the nine-banded armadillo and the African savanna elephant - while others have almost none - whales and dolphins.

From Reuters

The nine-banded armadillo and Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth followed, while the Central American agouti came in fourth.

From New York Times

Of the 20 species, only one — the nine-banded armadillo — is native to the United States.

From Washington Post

Image: March Mammal Madness Brackets for the 2019 edition of March Mammal Madness are available, and this year’s competitors range from the mink to the nine-banded armadillo to spinifex hopping mouse to the... dandelion.

From The Verge