Cingulata

Cingulata is an order of armored placental mammals within the superorder Xenarthra. It includes the modern armadillos and several extinct lineages, and is characterized by a protective integument of osteoderms that form a segmented carapace.

Extant diversity is limited to armadillos, placed in the family Dasypodidae, distributed from the southern United States to southern South America. Armadillos are generally small to medium-sized, with strong forelimbs and curved claws for digging; their dentition is reduced, and most species feed on ants, termites, and other invertebrates, as well as fruit or small vertebrates in some cases.

Reproduction varies among species. The nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) is notable for giving birth to identical quadruplets from a single fertilized egg; embryonic polyembryony has been reported in several Dasypodidae species.

Fossil record and higher-level classification: The order also includes extinct groups such as glyptodonts (Glyptodontidae) and pampatheres (Pampatheriidae). Glyptodonts had heavy, dome-shaped shells and large, armored bodies; pampatheres were medium to large and less heavily armored than glyptodonts.

Evolution and distribution: Cingulata likely originated in South America during the Paleogene; during the Great American Biotic Interchange, some lineages dispersed into North America. Today armadillos inhabit a variety of habitats, but several species are threatened by habitat loss, hunting, and human activity.