World’s smallest armadillo has a unique double skin
Two layers are better than one – particularly if you spend most of your life underground
Arecent study has revealed that the pink fairy armadillo – an extremely rare, desert-dwelling armadillo endemic to central Argentina – possesses a ‘double skin’. The adaptation is unique not only among armadillos, but also among mammals.
The research, led by biologist Cecilia Krmpotic and published in the Journal of Zoology, was the first to examine the integumentary system – the layer including skin and hair – of the pink fairy armadillo.
According to Krmpotic’s findings, the armadillo, which, unlike its larger relatives, spends most of its life underground, has a leathery outer layer of skin (a ‘dorsal shield’) comprising scales made of keratin and bony deposits known as osteoderms. This is relatively soft and flexible compared to the skin of other armadillo species. Beneath this is an inner layer, from which silky, white hairs grow. The design is thought to be an adaptation to the species’ subterranean habitat – the suppleness of the dorsal shield enables it to adapt to the shape of tunnels, while the flexible hairs allow for easier movement underground.
“Due to its fossorial lifestyle, little is known about the pink fairy armadillo. “I’ve never seen one,” says Krmpotic. “They are extremely rare animals to see in their natural habitat. There is still a lot to discover about this species.”