Armadillos (meaning "little armored ones" in Spanish) are New World placental mammals in the order Cingulata. The Chlamyphoridae and Dasypodidae are the only surviving families in the order, which is part of the superorder Xenarthra, along with the anteaters and sloths. Nine extinct genera and 21 extant species of armadillo have been described, some of which are distinguished by the number of bands on their armor. All species are native to the Americas, where they inhabit a variety of different environments. Armadillos are characterized by a leathery armor shell and long, sharp claws for digging. They have short legs, but can move quite quickly. The average length of an armadillo is about , including its tail. The giant armadillo grows up to and weighs up to , while the pink fairy armadillo has a length of only . When threatened by a predator, Tolypeutes species frequently roll up into a ball; they are the only species of armadillo capable of this. Etymology The word armadillo means "little armored one" in Spanish. The Aztecs called them āyōtōchtli , Nahuatl for "turtle-rabbit": āyōtl (turtle) and tōchtli (rabbit). The Portuguese word for "armadillo" is tatú which is derived from the Tupi language ta "bark, armor" and tu "dense"; and used in Argentina, Bolivia, Brasil, Paraguay and Uruguay; similar names are also found in other, especially European, languages. Other various vernacular names given are: quirquincho (from ) in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia and Peru; cuzuco (from Nahuatl) in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua; mulita in Argentina and Uruguay; peludo in Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Uruguay; piche in Argentina, Brasil, Chile, Colombia and Paraguay; cachicamo in Colombia and Venezuela gurre in Tolima, Caldas and Antioquia, Colombia; jerre-jerre in Caribbean Colombia; jueche in southeast Mexico; toche in the state of Veracruz, Mexico; carachupa in Perú. ClassificationFamily Dasypodidae Subfamily Dasypodinae Genus Dasypus Nine-banded armadillo or long-nosed armadillo, Dasypus novemcinctus Seven-banded armadillo, Dasypus septemcinctus Southern long-nosed armadillo, Dasypus hybridus Llanos long-nosed armadillo, Dasypus sabanicola Greater long-nosed armadillo, Dasypus kappleri Hairy long-nosed armadillo, Dasypus pilosus Yepes's mulita, Dasypus yepesi †Beautiful armadillo, Dasypus bellus †Dasypus neogaeus Genus †StegotheriumFamily Chlamyphoridae''' Subfamily Chlamyphorinae Genus Calyptophractus Greater fairy armadillo, Calyptophractus retusus Genus ChlamyphorusPink fairy armadillo, Chlamyphorus truncatus Subfamily Euphractinae Genus Chaetophractus Screaming hairy armadillo, Chaetophractus vellerosusBig hairy armadillo, Chaetophractus villosusAndean hairy armadillo, Chaetophractus nationiGenus †MacroeuphractusGenus †PaleuphractusGenus †ProeuphractusGenus †DoellotatusGenus †Peltephilus †Horned armadillo, Peltephilus ferox Genus EuphractusSix-banded armadillo, Euphractus sexcinctus Genus ZaedyusPichi, Zaedyus