2.

Northern Long-nosed Armadillo

Dasypus sabanicola

French: Tatou des savanes / German: Savannen-Glrteltier / Spanish: Mulita de Los Llanos

Other common names: Llanos Long-nosed Armadillo

Taxonomy. Dasypus sabanicola Mondolfi, 1968,

“Hato Macanillal, Distrito Achaguas del Estado Apure,” Venezuela.

A recent analysis of genomic data by M. C. Arteaga and colleagues, yet to be pub- lished, has called into question whether or not D. sabanicola should be combined with one of the subspecies of D. novemcinetus to form a single species. No final decision about this has been made, and a new name has not been proposed. Monotypic.

Distribution. Llanos of Colombia and Venezuela.

Descriptive notes. Head-body ¢.250-310 mm, tail 170-210 mm, ear 22-29 mm, hindfoot 60-70 mm; weight 1-2 kg. The Northern Long-nosed Armadillo was initially recognized as a separate species because it is much smaller in size than either of the other two long-nosed armadillos, the Greater Long-nosed Armadillo (D. kappleri) and the Nine-banded Armadillo (D. novemcinctus), known to occur in Venezuela. Normally, there are eight movable bands on the carapace of the Northern Long-nosed Armadillo. Ears are short relative to skull length, but tail is long relative to head—body length.

Habitat. Low-lying floodplains, commonly known as the Llanos, at elevations of 25— 500 m. Northern Long-nosed Armadillos will move to higher ground during the annual flooding season.

Food and Feeding. Diet of the Northern Long-nosed Armadillo contains worms and insects (primarily ants, termites, and beetles).

Breeding. Reproduction of the Northern Long-nosed Armadillo is reported to occur from October through March. Implantation of the fertilized egg is delayed by 2-4 months. Pregnant females have been collected during spring; gestation is thought to start in April or May and lasts until August or September. Litters have four young.

Activity patterns. Northern Long-nosed Armadillos are diurnal. Most activity aboveground is foraging, which occurs from c.08:00 h to 10:30 h in the morning and after 16:00 h in the afternoon.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Home ranges are 1-7-11-6 ha; mean density is 2-8 ind/ha. Reports have noted that some adult females share burrows, which might suggest the Northern Long-nosed Armadillo is a bit more social than other long-nosed armadillos; however, this remains speculative, and details ofits social organization are largely unknown.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Near Threatened on The IUCN Red List. Preferred habitat of the Northern Long-nosed Armadillo, the Llanos, is suffering from extensive conversion to other uses (e.g. biofuel production, timber production, and industrial farming). Elimination of habitat is presumed to be negatively affecting populations, although no studies have been conducted to document this. The Northern Long-nosed Armadillo is also subjected to intense hunting—a problem highlighted in a recent action plan for its conservation.

Bibliography. Arteaga et al. (2017), Ferguson-Laguna (1984), Mondolfi (1968), Pacheco & Naranjo (1978), Superina, Trujillo, Arteaga & Abba (2014), Superina, Trujillo, Mosquera et al. (2014), Wetzel & Mondolfi (1979), Wetzel et al. (2008).