Examples of animals like armadillos include pangolins, anteaters, and sloths.
Armadillos are strange-looking creatures. They are the only mammal that can truly be called armored because of the armor-like plates on their back. They also have a long, sticky tongue that they use to catch insects. But armadillos aren’t the only animals with features that resemble those of an armadillo.
In this blog post, we’ll take a look at some other animals that look like armadillos. Stay tuned.
Examples of Animals Like Armadillos
1. Black-Bellied Pangolin
| Scientific Name | Manis tetradactyla |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Africa |
The Black-bellied Pangolin is a mammal that is native to Africa. Like the armadillo, it has armor-like plates on its back. It also has sharp claws that it uses to dig for food. The pangolin’s diet consists mainly of ants and termites, which it catches with its long, sticky tongue.
2. Chinese Pangolin
| Scientific Name | Manis pentadactyla |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | in the Himalayan foothills in Eastern Nepal |
The Chinese pangolin looks like a cross between an armadillo and an anteater. It has a long snout, scales covering its body, and a tail. Like the armadillo, the pangolin curls up into a ball when it feels threatened.
3. Giant Anteater
| Scientific Name | Myrmecophaga tridactyla |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Central and South America |
Giant Anteater like the armadillo, the giant anteater has a long snout and a sticky tongue that it uses to catch insects. The biggest difference between these two animals is the size. Giant anteaters can grow to be up to seven feet long, while armadillos are only about two feet long.
Related Article: Do Giant Anteater Have Big & Long Nose?
4. Giant Ground Pangolin
| Scientific Name | Manis gigantea |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | West and central Africa |
The giant ground pangolin is a native of Africa and the largest member of the pangolin family. These shy animals are nocturnal and spend most of their time in trees or burrows. They have long, curved claws that they use for digging and climbing. Their scales are made of keratin, the same material that makes up human hair and nails. Pangolins are the only known mammal with this type of scale.
The giant ground pangolin resembles an armadillo in several ways. Both animals have a protective armor of plates or scales. They also both have long, curved claws that they use for digging. However, there are some differences between the two animals. The biggest difference is that pangolins are covered in scales, while armadillos have plates of bone on their back.
Related Article: Are Pangolins Shy?
5. Giant Ground Sloth
| Scientific Name | Megatherium |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Arizona and New Mexico |
The giant ground sloth was a massive mammal that lived during the Pleistocene epoch. It could grow to be the size of an elephant and weighed up to four tons. This herbivore had a long neck, small head, and furry body. Its most notable feature was its large claws, which are used to climb trees and dig for food. Like the armadillo, the giant ground sloth was a slow-moving creature.
6. Glyptodons
| Scientific Name | Glyptodon |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | North and South America |
Glyptodons were massive, prehistoric animals that looked a lot like armadillos. They grew to be about the size of a small car and weighed up to 2,000 pounds. Their bodies were covered in thick, armor-like plates and they had long tails. Glyptodons were herbivores and fed on plants. They went extinct around 10,000 years ago.
7. Indian Pangolin
| Scientific Name | Manis crassicaudata |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Bangladesh, Southern Nepal, Sri Lanka |
The Indian pangolin is a mammal that looks like an armadillo. It has scales on its body and a long, sticky tongue. It also has claws that it uses to dig into the ground.
Pangolins are found in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.
8. Megatherium
| Scientific Name | Megatherium |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | South America |
The next animal on our list is the Megatherium, or giant sloth. This massive creature lived during the Ice Age and could grow to be the size of an elephant! But unlike an elephant, the Megatherium had a long neck and small head, giving it a look that was similar to an armadillo. This animal also had a thick hide that was covered in fur, and it is thought that this fur helped to keep the Megatherium warm during the cold winters.
9. Mylodon
| Scientific Name | Mylodon |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | South America |
The mylodon is an extinct species of giant ground sloth that lived in South America during the Pleistocene epoch. It was one of the largest land mammals ever to exist, with some estimates putting its weight at up to eight tonnes. The mylodon was a bulky creature, with a short tail and heavily muscled limbs.
Its most distinctive feature was the large armor-like plates that covered its back. These plates were made of bone and were connected by a network of tough, elastic bands. The mylodon’s armor served to protect it from predators and helped to keep it warm in the cold climates of the Pleistocene.
The mylodon was an herbivore and probably fed on a diet of leaves, stems, and other vegetation. Its armor-like skin would have made it difficult for the mylodon to move quickly, so it is likely that it was a slow-moving creature. However, its large size would have made it difficult for predators to take down.
10. Northern Tamandua
| Scientific Name | Tamandua tetradactyla |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Central America |
The Northern Tamandua (Tamandua mexicana) is a species of anteater found in Central and South America. It is one of the two species of tamandua, the other being the Southern Tamandua (Tamandua tetradactyla).
The Northern Tamandua is smaller than the Southern Tamandua, and its fur is darker. It also has a longer snout, and its claws are less curved.
The Northern Tamandua feeds on ants and termites. It uses its long, sticky tongue to catch these insects. It also has sharp claws that it uses to dig into ant and termite nests.
11. Philippine Pangolin
| Scientific Name | Manis culionensis |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | island province of Palawan |
The Philippine pangolin is a small, nocturnal mammal that is found in the tropical forests of the Philippines. Like the armadillo, the pangolin has armor-like scales on its body that protect it from predators. The pangolin also has a long, sticky tongue that it uses to catch insects.
12. Pichi
| Scientific Name | Zaedyus pichiy |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | South America |
Pichis are small, rodent-like animals that are found in South America. They are closely related to guinea pigs and look quite similar to them, but with a few key differences. For one, pichis have short, bristly fur instead of the long, soft fur of guinea pigs. They also have armor-like plates on their backs, which give them a somewhat armadillo-like appearance. Pichis are also known for their long, sticky tongues, which they use to catch insects.
13. Pichiciego
| Scientific Name | Chlamyphorus truncatus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | central Argentina |
The pichiciego is a small mammal that is native to the arid regions of South America. It is often compared to the armadillo because of its similar appearance. The pichiciego has a hard, protective shell on its back and a long, sticky tongue. It also digs burrows in the ground to live in.
14. Silky Anteater
| Scientific Name | Cyclopes didactylus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Oaxaca and southern Veracruz in Mexico |
As you can see in the picture, this animal shares many similarities with the armadillo. They both have a long snout, small eyes, and a long tongue. The main difference between the two is that the silky anteater doesn’t have armor-like plates on its back. Instead, it has fur that is silky to the touch.
15. Southern Tamandua
| Scientific Name | Tamandua tetradactyla |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | South America |
The southern tamandua (Tamandua tetradactyla) is a medium-sized anteater found in South America. It is similar to the armadillo in both appearance and behavior. Both animals have long, sticky tongues that they use to catch insects. They also have armor-like plates on their back. The main difference between the two is that the southern tamandua is covered in fur, while the armadillo is not.
16. Sunda Pangolin
| Scientific Name | Manis javanica |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Southeast Asia |
The Sunda pangolin is a small, scaly mammal that looks like an armadillo. It is found in Southeast Asia and is the only pangolin species native to that region. The Sunda pangolin has armor-like scales on its back and a long, sticky tongue that it uses to catch insects. It is nocturnal and sleeps in tree hollows during the day.
17. Temminck’s Ground Pangolin
| Scientific Name | Smutsia temminckii |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Africa |
The Temminck’s ground pangolin is a scaly mammal that is native to Africa. It gets its name from the armor-like plates on its back, which resemble those of an armadillo. The pangolin also has a long, sticky tongue that it uses to catch insects.
18. Three-Toed Sloths
| Scientific Name | Bradypus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Central and South America |
These are the closest living relatives of the armadillo. They share a common ancestor and they look quite similar. Both animals have a low body temperature, slow metabolism, and three toes on each foot. However, sloths spend most of their time in trees while armadillos are terrestrial.
Related Article: Do Sloths Eat Avocados?
19. Two-Toed Sloths
| Scientific Name | Choloepus |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Central America and northern South America |
These animals may not be armored like armadillos, but they do have some similarities. Both sloths and armadillos are slow-moving animals, and they both have long, sticky tongues that they use to catch insects. Sloths also have a similar body shape to armadillos, with a round body and short legs.
20. White-Bellied Pangolin
| Scientific Name | Manis tricuspis |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | West Africa |
The white-bellied pangolin is a small, nocturnal mammal that is native to Africa. Like the armadillo, it has armor-like scales on its back that provide protection from predators. It also has a long tongue that it uses to catch insects.
21. Woodlice
| Scientific Name | Oniscidea |
| Type of Animal | Mammal |
| Range | Worldwide |
Woodlice are small, segmented creatures that resemble armadillos in several ways. For one, they have a hard exoskeleton that protects them from predators and the elements. They also have long antennae and legs that help them scurry away from danger. Additionally, woodlice are proficient burrowers and often build their homes underground. Finally, like armadillos, woodlice are nocturnal creatures that are most active at night.
Conclusion
Animals like armadillos, pangolins, and anteaters are similar to each other in many ways. They all have long snouts, claws that they use for digging food and protection from predators, strong teeth, scales, or armor-like plates on their backs. One of the most noticeable differences between these animals is size.
Hi, I’m Garreth. Living in South Africa I’ve had the pleasure of seeing most of these animals up close and personal. When I was younger I always wanted to be a game ranger but unfortunately, life happens and now at least I get to write about them and tell you my experiences.