The survival of the fastest: Reproductive behavior of the Brazilian three-banded armadillo in the wild

Abstract

The Brazilian three-banded armadillo, Tolypeutes tricinctus is endemic to Northeastern Brazil and is classified as a "Vulnerable" (A2cd) species according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. During a study of wild carnivores at Fazenda Trijuncao, located at the intersection of the Minas Gerais, Goias and Bahia states, in Cerrado biome, one of our camera traps recorded three individuals of T. tricinctus chasing a fourth one in an area of savanna woodland. This seems to be the record of multiple males competing for access to a receptive female, as a similar behavior is known to occur in some armadillo species. This is the first video record of the chasing behavior for this species, being an indicative that multiple males physically compete to mate with a single female, benefitting fastest males. Information about in situ reproductive behavior is essential to contribute to the efficient species conservation planning.