Chaetophractus


Chaetophractus is a small genus of armadillos in the family Chlamyphoridae. It contains the following three species:
ImageScientific nameCommon nameDistribution
Chaetophractus vellerosusScreaming hairy armadilloCentral and southern parts of South America
Chaetophractus villosusBig hairy armadilloThe Pampas and Patagonia as far south as Santa Cruz, Argentina and Magallanes, Chile
Chaetophractus nationiAndean hairy armadilloBolivia, in the region of the Puna; the departments of Oruro, La Paz, and Cochabamba, Bolivia and northern Chile

Members of the genus are endemic to the continent of South America. They are found in the central and southern countries such as Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Paraguay.
Chaetophractus vellerosus typically digs burrows in area of native woodlands and calcareous soils. These burrows vary in direction or depth, and individuals do not use to the same burrow once they leave it.
Chaetophractus nationi is probably a junior synonym of Chaetophractus vellerosus and the genus Chatophractus may be paraphyletic.