Armadillos are edentate mammals, native to southern North America and South America and characterized by an armorlike covering consisting of jointed bony plates. They are related to sloths and anteaters. Armadillos are stout and short-legged, with strong, curved claws and a protective covering of pinkish to brown armour.
The plates are separated by flexible bands of tissue. One species lives in the U.S., the others in tropical and subtropical regions to the south, primarily in South America. Armadillos live alone, in pairs, or in small groups and feed on termites or other insects, vegetation, small animals, and carrion.The Presurfer