Z. pichiy Armadillo Skull Replica measures 2.5 inches. Z. pichiy Armadillo Skull Replica is museum quality polyurethane cast made in USA. 2-part skull (separate cranium and jaw). Known as the Dwarf Armadillo.
The Z. pichiy Armadillo is relatively a small armadillo, measuring approximately 11 in. long, with a tail of about 4.3 in. Adults weigh from 25 to 53 oz.
The Z. pichiy Armadillo have eight teeth on each side of the upper jaw, and nine on the lower. The absence of teeth on the premaxillary bone of the upper jaw is one of the features that allows them to be distinguished from other, similar, armadillos, such as the six-banded armadillo.
The Z. pichiy Armadillo shell varies from light yellow to near-black, and consists of heavy scapular and pelvic shields composed of rectangular plates, and separated by six to eight movable bands.
The carapace varies from light yellow to near-black, and consists of heavy scapular and pelvic shields composed of rectangular osteoderms, and separated by six to eight movable bands.
An additional “nuchal” band lies in front of the scapular shield, and there is also a triangular shield on top of the head, and further osteoderms along the tail.
The underside of the Z. pichiy Armadillo has a coat of tan-colored hair, which is thicker and longer in winter; there are also a few long hairs protruding through small holes near the posterior edge of some of the scales.
Z. pichiy Armadillo have well-developed claws on all four feet. The ears are short, and the eyes dark and relatively small.
Z. pichiy Armadillos are omnivorous, with the largest part of their diet consisting of invertebrates such as beetles, ants, and scorpions, though they will also eat small mammals or lizards, as well as plant material and fungi.
Z. pichiy Armadillos are solitary and diurnal. They dig burrows in sandy soil, which they use for shelter from extremes of weather. The burrows have a dome-shaped entrance and a single passage that can reach several meters in length, before terminating in a bare, unlined, resting chamber.
They do not inhabit their burrows for extended periods, digging new ones at least every few weeks, and sometimes daily. During the winter, when the weather is more extreme, the burrows may be deeper than they are in the summer, reaching as much as 4 feet below ground.
Z. pichiy Armadillos are solitary outside of the mating season.
When threatened, they wedge themselves into their shallow burrow making it difficult for an attacker to drag them out because of their jagged scales, or else lie flat on the ground to protect their vulnerable belly. They make both purring sounds and a loud grunt or scream.
