This is where the three-banded armadillo gets its name, using its pleated armor for protection. It looks hard from afar, but the texture resembles that of a fingernail, flexing to allow movement.

Researchers in France and Chicago have discovered that the armadillo native to Texas and other parts of North America is actually its own species. The study, published last summer in Systematic ...

Softer skin underneath the shell allows the “shield” to move as needed, creating full protection for a balled-up armadillo. The hard plate on the head of the armadillo covers any openings ...