Greater fairy armadillo
species of mammal
The greater fairy armadillo (Calyptophractus retusus), also known as Burmeister's armadillo or the Chacoan fairy armadillo, is a species of armadillo in the family Chlamyphoridae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland. It is threatened by habitat loss and persecution.
It is the only species in the genus Calyptophractus. And one of the two fairy armadillos (Chlamyphorinae), the other being the pink fairy armadillo Chlamyphorus truncatus.
Description
The greater fairy armadillo is a small species, growing to a length of from 140 to 175 mm (5.5 to 6.9 in) with a tail about 35 mm (1.4 in) long and weighing up to 1 kg (2.2 lb). Like other armadillos it has bands of armour on its dorsal (upper) surface but, in common with the pink fairy armadillo Chlamyphorus truncatus but unlike most other armadillos, these bands are fused to its pelvis and spine. They are soft in texture and are linked together with skin which gives flexibility to the body. They come to an abrupt end at the rear of the body.
“Greater fairy armadillo” enters the record as species of mammal. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Greater, fairy and armadillo can confirm, complicate or overturn.
Why this record matters
“Greater fairy armadillo” is worth following because a concise public description often conceals a longer documentary argument. Here, Greater, fairy and armadillo provides the most credible route into that argument.
Stable identifiers, scientific names and standards terminology offer the best bridge between this overview and specialist evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated May 27, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q968416. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
Current terminology should not be projected backward without checking the classification used when the underlying evidence was created. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Greater fairy armadillo”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Greater fairy armadillo primary sources, Greater fairy armadillo archive and Greater research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Greater fairy armadillo”?
- Has classification or technical consensus changed since the cited source?
- Which observation, specimen, dataset or publication supports the account?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Greater fairy armadillo” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.