Chlamyphorus truncatus

– Near Threatened

Taxonomy

Kingdom:	ANIMALIA
Phylum:	CHORDATA
Class:	MAMMALIA
Order:	CINGULATA
Family:	DASYPODIDAE
Scientific Name:	Chlamyphorus truncatus
Species Authority:	Harlan, 1825
Common Name/s:	LESSER FAIRY ARMADILLO (Eng) LESSER PICHI CIEGO (Eng) PINK FAIRY ARMADILLO (Eng)

Assessment Information

Red List Category & Criteria:

NT ver 3.1 (2001)

Year Assessed:

2006

Assessor/s:

Superina, M., Abba, A., Vizcaino, S., Porini, G., Meritt, D. & members of the Edentate Specialist Group

Evaluator/s:

Sechrest, W. (Global Mammal Assessment) & da Fonseca, G.A.B. & members of the Edentate Specialist Group

Justification:

Although endemic to central Argentina, the species' distribution is rather large. The species' biology and ecology is poorly known. Throughout its range there is extensive habitat degradation, especially from cattle, but the actual affect on the populations are not well understood. The species is listed as Near Threatened due to estimates of decline in the last ten years due to habitat loss.

History:

1982	-	Insufficiently Known (Thornback and Jenkins 1982)
1986	-	Insufficiently Known (IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre 1986)
1988	-	Insufficiently Known (IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre 1988)
1990	-	Insufficiently Known (IUCN 1990)
1994	-	Insufficiently Known (Groombridge 1994)
1996	-	Endangered (Baillie and Groombridge 1996)

Geographic Range

Range Description:	This species is endemic to central Argentina where it is found in the Provinces of Buenos Aires (southern part only), Catamarca, Cordoba, La Pampa, La Rioja, Mendoza, San Juan and San Luis (Edentate SG, Gardner 2005).
Countries:	Native: Argentina

Population

Population:	It may be relatively rare. The species was not recorded during four years of fieldwork in Mendoza Province (Mariela Superina, pers. comm).
Population Trend:

Habitat and Ecology

Habitat and Ecology:

This nocturnal species is found in dry grassland and sandy plains with thornbush and cacti type vegetation. It has a diet largely composed of insects, but also includes carrion, other invertebrates, roots and other vegetation (Nowak 1999).

System:

Terrestrial

List of Habitats:

2.1	Savanna - Dry
3.4	Shrubland - Temperate
4.4	Grassland - Temperate
8.2	Desert - Temperate

Threats

Threats:

Arable agriculture, principally ploughing of fields, is the predominant threat facing this species, but predation by domestic cats is also contributing to its decline (Nowak 1999). Local people do not keep this species as pets.

List of Threats:

1.1.1.2	Habitat Loss/Degradation - Agriculture - Crops - Small-holder farming (ongoing)
1.1.4.2	Habitat Loss/Degradation - Agriculture - Livestock - Small-holder (ongoing)
2.2	Invasive alien species (directly affecting the species) - Predators (ongoing)

Conservation Actions

Conservation Actions:

It is present in a number of protected areas including Lihue Calel, La Pampa National Park (9,905 ha), and some provincial protected areas in Mendoza. There is national and provincial legislation specifically in place for its protection such as Provincial Law 6599 Mendoza and National Resolution 1089. Further studies into populations and demography of this species are needed.

List of Conservation Actions:

1.2.1.2	Policy-based actions - Legislation - Development - National level (in place)
1.2.1.3	Policy-based actions - Legislation - Development - Sub-national level (in place)
3.2	Research actions - Population numbers and range (needed)
3.3	Research actions - Biology and Ecology (needed)
4.1	Habitat and site-based actions - Maintenance/Conservation (needed)
4.4.2	Habitat and site-based actions - Protected areas - Establishment (in place)

Bibliography

Bibliography:

Baillie, J. and Groombridge, B. (compilers and editors) 1996. 1996 IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.

Gardner, A.L. 1993. Order Xenarthra. In: D.E. Wilson & D.M. Reeder (eds) Mammal Species of the World: A taxonomic and geographic reference. Second Edition. pp: 63–68. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC.

Gardner, A.L. 2005. Order Cingulata. In: D.E. Wilson & D.M. Reeder (eds) Mammal Species of the World: A taxonomic and geographic reference. Third Edition. pp: 94–99. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.

Groombridge, B. (ed.) 1994. 1994 IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.

IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre. 1986. 1986 IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK.

IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre. 1988. 1988 IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK.

IUCN. 1990. 1990 IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK.

Redford, K.H. and Eisenberg, J.F. 1992. Mammals of the Neotropics: The Southern Cone, Vol. 2, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay. Chicago University Press, Chicago.

Thornback, J. and Jenkins, M. 1982. The IUCN Mammal Red Data Book. Part 1: Threatened mammalian taxa of the Americas and the Australasian zoogeographic region (excluding Cetacea). IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.

Wetzel, R.M. 1982. Systematics, distribution, ecology, and conservation of South American edentates. In: M.A. Mares & H.H. Genoways (eds) Mammalian Biology in South America pp: 345–375. University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh.

Citation:	Superina, M., Abba, A., Vizcaino, S., Porini, G., Meritt, D. & members of the Edentate Specialist Group 2006. Chlamyphorus truncatus. In: IUCN 2007. 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 04 July 2008.
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