Cephalic shield morphology as species diagnostic trait and individual natural mark in three-banded armadillos (Tolypeutes; Cingulata: Chlamyphoridae)

• Published in: Mammalia (Paris) Vol. 86; no. 6; pp. 632 - 640
• Main Authors: Magalhães, Rodolfo Assis, Feijó, Anderson, Bocchiglieri, Adriana, de Sena, Liana Mara Mendes, Attias, Nina, Rodrigues, Flávio Henrique Guimarães
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin De Gruyter 25.11.2022; Walter de Gruyter GmbH
• Subjects: Animal welfare; Diagnostic systems; individual identification; mark-recapture; monitoring; Morphology; osteoderms; Shields; Species; Tolypeutes; Tolypeutes matacus; Tolypeutes tricinctus; Xenarthra
• ISSN: 0025-1461; 1864-1547
• DOI: 10.1515/mammalia-2022-0022

Previous studies have suggested species- and individual-specific morphologies of cephalic shields of three-banded armadillos ( spp.). Central cephalic scutes would form discrete lines; the first two posterior lines being composed of one scute (1-1) in and one followed by two scutes (1-2) in . However, conclusions were limited to a few specimens and the pattern was later observed in . Here, we assessed the potential use of the morphology of the cephalic shield as a species diagnostic trait and individual natural mark in three-banded armadillos by quantifying their patterns in museum (  = 71) and field (  = 82) specimens. In total, 93% of and 88% of specimens presented the respective species’ character states. All specimens could be individualized based on a visual comparison of their cephalic shields. Our findings show that the morphology of cephalic shields is a species diagnostic trait and an individual natural mark in three-banded armadillos. Therefore, we add an accessible character for species diagnosis in and provide an alternative to artificial marks that presents virtually no associated cost and damage to animal welfare and can be reliably applied in ecological and participatory science projects.