6.

Yungas Lesser Long-nosed Armadillo

Dasypus mazzai

French: Tatou de Yepes / German: Yungas-Gurteltier / Spanish: Mulita de Mazza

Other common names: Yepes's Mulita

Taxonomy. Dasypus mazzai Yepes, 1933,

Tabacal, Oran Department, Salta, Argentina.

Identity of D. mazzai has been controver- sial, with some claiming the type specimen was actually a young D. novemcinctus . S. F. Vizcaino in 1995 proposed that a separate species should be recognized and named it D. yepesi . A. Feijo and P. Cordeiro-Estrela in 2014 presented evidence that this new species was in fact the same as that originally identified by J. Yepes in 1933, thus

making D. mazzai the correct name. Monotypic.

Distribution. Known only from Jujuy and Salta provinces, NW Argentina. This limited range might be due to the fact that only nine locality records are available.

Descriptive notes. Head-body ¢.310 mm, tail 180-230 mm, ear 36-38 mm; weight c.2.2-5 kg. The Yungas Lesser Long-nosed Armadillo is an intermediate-sized species of long-nosed armadillos, with body proportions similar to, but somewhat larger than, those of the Southern Long-nosed Armadillo ( D. hybridus). It normally has 7-8 movable bands on carapace and relatively long tail and ears.

Habitat. Typically, Yungas forest at elevations up to 1800 m and also in more xeric habitats (Chaco) at elevations of ¢.440 m.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List (as D. yepest). Additional research is required to understand natural history and conservation status of the Yungas Lesser Long-nosed Armadillo.

Bibliography. Abba & Vizcaino (2014), Feij¢ & Cordeiro-Estrela (2014), Hamlett (1939), Vizcaino (1995), Vizcaino & Giallombardo (2001), Wetzel & Mondolfi (1979), Wetzel et al. (2008), Yepes (1933).