Guidelines to identify individual giant armadillos, Priodontes maximus (Kerr, 1792), through camera traps

Abstract

Camera trapping is one of the main tools used to advance Priodontes maximus research as it can provide information on the species' presence, densities, relative abundance, home ranges, movement, activity patterns, habitat use, reproduction, and parental care. Photographic records obtained by camera traps allow the individual identification of P. maximus if properly examined. The aim of this work is to provide researchers with the tools to identify individuals of P. maximus in their regions and stimulate further research and conservation work on the species. We use nine years of camera trap work to present and illustrate the different individual identification patterns that can be used to distinguish individuals as well as reproductive status and age class. We describe six different morphological characteristics that can be used for individual identification: cephalic scale pattern, tail markings, light band width and shape above the base of tail, hind limbs, flank scale pattern, and natural marks. Furthermore, we identified two characteristics that can be used to determine sex and age class of individuals. Using these individual identification patterns, a total of 88 P. maximus were individually identified in three areas of Brazil.