How does an armadillo’s carapace protect its body?

The armadillo’s carapace is a specialized defensive structure composed of bony transverse bands covered by tough scales derived from skin tissue. This armor covers much of the animal's body, including its head and, in most species, its legs and tail.1

The carapace protects the armadillo through several behavioral strategies:

• Physical Shielding: When threatened, armadillos may draw in their feet so that their armor touches the ground, protecting their vulnerable underparts.1
• Rolling into a Ball: Certain species, such as the three-banded armadillo, can roll into a solid, protective ball.1
• Burrow Plugging: The pink fairy armadillo uses the vertical, flat rear portion of its carapace as a plug to seal the entrance of its burrow against predators.1
• Wedging: Some species use their back plates to flex and wedge themselves firmly into their burrows, making them nearly impossible to extract.1

While the carapace provides significant protection, it is also quite dense, which affects the animal's buoyancy when encountering water.1