Annual diet of the little hairy armadillo, Chaetophractus vellerosus (Mammalia, Dasypodidae), in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina

Abstract

Analysis of the stomach contents of 28 little hairy armadillos (Chaetophractus vellerosus), collected during a 14-month period at Pipinas, Argentina, showed that about 63.6% of the weight of prey items was composed of animal remains, 18% was plant material, and the remaining 18.4% was undetermined organic remains. Insects were the most frequent diet item, followed by plant material, amphibians, reptiles, and lastly birds and mammals in similar proportion. During autumn, plant material was the most abundant item, followed by vertebrates and invertebrates. During winter invertebrates prevailed, followed by a lower percentage of vertebrates and scarce plant remains. Invertebrates also were predominant during spring, whereas plant material and vertebrates composed very low percentages.