the armadillo could be considered as an experimental model for leprosy studies. mycobacterium leprae main host cells are macrophages and schwann cells. however, endocytosis and germicidal activities of armadillo macrophages and monocytes have not yet been evaluated. the aim of this research was to evaluate endocytosis and nbt-reduction activities of monocyte-derived macrophages (mdm) and monocy...

BACKGROUND The systematics of long-nosed armadillos (genus Dasypus) has been mainly based on a handful of external morphological characters and classical measurements. Here, we studied the pattern of morphological variation in the skull of long-nosed armadillos species, with a focus on the systematics of the widely distributed nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus). METHODS We present t...

The nine-banded armadillo ( Dasypus novemcinctus ) is the only known nonhuman reservoir of Mycobacterium leprae , the causative agent of Hansen's disease or leprosy. We conducted a 6-yr study on a wild population of armadillos in western Mississippi that was exposed to M. leprae to evaluate the importance of demographic and spatial risk factors on individual antibody status. We found that spati...

The mammalian fauna of Nicaragua includes seven species in the order Xenarthra, including the brown-throated three-toed sloth (Bradypus variegatus) in the family Bradypodidae, Hoffmann's two-toed sloth (Choloepus hoffmannl) in the family Megalonychidae, the northern naked-tailed armadillo (Cabassous centralis) and nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) in the family Dasypodidae, and the s...

Background. The systematics of long-nosed armadillos (genus Dasypus) has been mainly based on a handful of external morphological characters and classical measurements. Here, we studied the pattern of morphological variation in the skull of long-nosed armadillos species, with a focus on the systematics of the widely distributed nine-banded armadillo (D. novemcinctus). Methods. We present the fi...

The large, beautiful armadillo, Dasypus bellus, first appeared in North America about 2.5 million years ago, and was extinct across its southeastern US range by 11 thousand years ago (ka). Within the last 150 years, the much smaller nine-banded armadillo, D. novemcinctus, has expanded rapidly out of Mexico and colonized much of the former range of the beautiful armadillo. The high degree of mor...

Field studies in Argentina's Yunga District revealed Alpova austroalnicola sp. nov., a hypogeous fungus associated with Alnus acuminata ssp. acuminata. Morphological and molecular studies based on amplification and sequencing of the nuclear LSU rDNA gene showed its unique identity within Alpova. Related genera included in the analyses were Boletus edulis, Rhizopogon spp., Suillus luteus and Tru...

Heterozygosity at eight nuclear enzymatic loci and mitochondrial DNA control region (D-loop) sequence polymorphism was compared between North and South American nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus: Xenarthra, Dasypodidae). All markers revealed a striking genetic homogeneity amongst Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi individuals, vs. the usual level of polymorphism for the French Guiana ...