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Diversity
Special Issues
Ecology, Behavior, and Conservation of Armadillos
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Ecology, Behavior, and Conservation of Armadillos

A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Diversity".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 1426

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Brett A. DeGregorio

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
U.S. Geological Survey, Michigan Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
Interests: conservation; wildilfe behavior

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Armadillos represent an often overlooked but diverse and fascinating group of wildlife. Where they occur, armadillos have outsized roles and importance in a number of different ways. Armadillos alter the environment around them by excavating extensive burrow systems that are used by numerous other wildlife species; they are harvested in large numbers for their bushmeat; they are hosts for diseases that can impact humans; and some species of armadillo are rapidly expanding their geographic range into new areas, while others are in need of conservation. We are seeking research or review articles that further explore these aspects of armadillo conservation, behavior, and ecology to allow us to better quantify the ecological and societal role of this fascinating group of species. This Special Issue provides an opportunity to better understand the important ecological services provided by armadillos, the behavior and ecology of different armadillo species, strategies for the conservation of armadillos, as well as the distribution and expansion of current and future potential geographic distributions.

Prof. Dr. Brett A. DeGregorio
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diversity is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • armadillo
  • wildlife conservation
  • ecosystem engineer
  • keystone species
  • Xenarthra
  • Cingulata

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 7274 KiB  
Article
Habitat and Predator Influences on the Spatial Ecology of Nine-Banded Armadillos
by Robert C. Lonsinger, Ben P. Murley, Daniel T. McDonald, Christine E. Fallon and Kara M. White
Diversity 2025, 17(4), 290; https://doi.org/10.3390/d17040290 - 19 Apr 2025
Viewed by 215
Abstract
Mesopredator suppression has implications for community structure, biodiversity, and ecosystem function, but mesopredators with physical defenses may not avoid apex predators. We investigated nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) in southwestern Oklahoma (USA) to evaluate if a species with physical defenses was influenced [...] Read more.
Mesopredator suppression has implications for community structure, biodiversity, and ecosystem function, but mesopredators with physical defenses may not avoid apex predators. We investigated nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) in southwestern Oklahoma (USA) to evaluate if a species with physical defenses was influenced by a dominant predator, the coyote (Canis latrans). We sampled nine-banded armadillos and coyotes with motion-activated cameras. We used single-species and conditional two-species occupancy models to assess the influences of environmental factors and coyotes on nine-banded armadillo occurrence and site-use intensity (i.e., detection). We used camera-based detections to characterize the diel activity of each species and their overlap. Nine-banded armadillo occupancy was greater at sites closer to cover, with lower slopes, and further from water, whereas coyote space use was greater at higher elevations; both species were positively associated with recent burns. Nine-banded armadillo occurrence was not influenced by coyotes, but site-use intensity was suppressed by the presence of coyotes. Nine-banded armadillos (strictly nocturnal) and coyotes (predominantly nocturnal) had a high overlap in summer diel activity. Nine-banded armadillos are ecosystem engineers but are often considered a threat to species of concern and/or a nuisance. Thus, understanding the role of interspecific interactions on nine-banded armadillos has important implications for conservation and management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology, Behavior, and Conservation of Armadillos)
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14 pages, 2507 KiB  
Article
Current Distribution of the Nine-Banded Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) in the United States
by Brett A. DeGregorio and Anant Deshwal
Diversity 2025, 17(2), 138; https://doi.org/10.3390/d17020138 - 19 Feb 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 998
Abstract
The nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus: hereafter armadillo) was first recorded in the United States (U.S.) in the state of Texas in 1849 and has been expanding its range northward and eastward since then. With the widespread adoption of participatory science as [...] Read more.
The nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus: hereafter armadillo) was first recorded in the United States (U.S.) in the state of Texas in 1849 and has been expanding its range northward and eastward since then. With the widespread adoption of participatory science as well as the proliferation of nationwide wildlife game camera studies, occurrence data of armadillos can be compiled more rapidly and thoroughly than at any time in the past. Here, we use disparate data sources to update the current geographic distribution of the armadillo in the United States and use occurrence data from the leading edge of its range expansion to create a species distribution model to understand their relationship with landscape and bioclimatic factors. Since the last report on the geographic distribution of the armadillo in 2014, we show that armadillos have expanded to cover the entirety of Missouri and established in southern Iowa, expanded modestly within Kansas and Illinois, expanded northward and eastward in Indiana, expanded eastward in both Kentucky and Tennessee, established throughout the entirety of South Carolina and Georgia and established in the western third of North Carolina. Our species distribution model indicates that there is substantial opportunity for the species to continue to expand its geographic range, particularly in the Eastern United States. These results provide information to managers who are now or might soon be co-existing with the armadillo to proactively manage the species or inform the public regarding potential conflicts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology, Behavior, and Conservation of Armadillos)
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