Cingulata

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A diverse group of mammals characterized by their armor-like skin and the ability to curl into a ball for protection
2. Referring to the order of animals known for their bony plates or shields that offer defense against predators
3. Describing a taxonomic category that includes species commonly recognized for their unique physical adaptations to survive in various habitats

Etymology: "Cingulata" is the scientific name for the order that includes armadillos, and it comes straight from Latin. The Latin "cingulum" meant "girdle" or "belt," the sort of band worn around the waist, and "cingulatus" meant "girded" or "belted." Zoologists applied the term to these animals because their bony, banded shells look like armored belts wrapped around the body. The order's name is a fitting picture of the animals themselves. Armadillos wear their armor as a series of overlapping bands across the back and flanks, and in many species the plates fuse into a shield over the shoulders and hips, with the middle bands free to move. Only a few kinds can roll into a ball, and the name refers to the belted shell rather than to that trick.

Synonyms: armadillo order, armored mammals