The hairy long-nosed armadillo is poorly known. Like other species of Dasypus, it has a hard armour-like shell, called a carapace. The armour consists of ossified dermal plates composed of a number of movable bands covered by leathery skin. The rostrum is long and slender and is more than half the length of the head. There are long, hairless ears and a slender tail, tapering to a point. The front part of the tail is protected by keratinised rings of scales. The front feet have four strong claws and the hind feet five.[4] It has a distinctive coat of long reddish-brown or grayish-brown fur which grows through tiny pores in its armour. It has similar bodily proportions to other armadillos but is unlikely to be confused with any other species.[4] One male individual studied had a total length of 575 mm (23 in) including a tail of 252 mm (10 in).[5]
Distribution and habitat
This armadillo is endemic to Peru, where it is found on the eastern side of the Andes Mountains. It is present in the regions of San Martín, where it is present in the Rio Abiseo National Park, La Libertad, Huánuco and Junín and has also been reported from the region of Amazonas. Its habitat is the Yungas, a stretch of subtropical, deciduous and evergreen forests along the eastern slopes of the mountains. It seems to frequent dense undergrowth in limestone areas.[2]
