Diet
The armadillo girdled lizard feeds mainly on small invertebrates, such as insects and spiders. In the wild, its most common prey items are the termites Microhodotermes viator and Hodotermes mossambicus. It can live up to 10 years in captivity, or slightly more in rarer cases.
The armadillo girdled 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. This behavior, which resembles that of the mammalian armadillo, gives it its English common name. This behavior may have inspired the mythical creature Ouroboros.
Read more about this topic: Armadillo Lizard
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