The Armadillo Lizard is a lizard endemic to desert areas of the
southern Africa. It is also known as the Typical Girdled Lizard,
Armadillo Girdled Lizard, Golden Armadillo Lizard, and Armadillo
Spiny-tailed Lizard. The nostrils of the Armadillo Lizard are formed
into the little tubes. This tubes help the Armadillo Lizards smell for
food or predators. Its size ranges from 16 to 21 cm (6½ to 8½ in) in
length. It grows up to 12 centimeters snout-to-vent length. The head of
the Armadillo Lizard is narrow in shape. It is fairly slow moving
animal, but when the Armadillo Lizard thinks or knows it's in danger, it
runs as fast as it can go for cover. It can be found in pet stores and
it is quite easy to breed in captivity. It lives in social groups of up
to 30 to 60, but usually fewer. The Armadillo Lizard has its babies in
the late summer. Only 1 or 2 babies are born during that time. When the
lizards give birth, the babies are live-born, but do have a thin
membranous shell that they need to break through. In the wild its most
common prey items are the termites Microhodotermes viator and Hodotermes
mossambicus.
Uncommon Behaviour
: The Armadillo Lizard possesses an uncommon antipredator adaptation,
in which it takes its tail in its mouth and rolls into a ball when
frightened. In this shape it is protected from predators by the thick,
squarish scales along its back and the spines on its tail.
[source]