[4] The animal was first described by J. E. Gray in 1865 from a specimen in the British Museum collected from Santa Cruz de la Sierra in eastern Bolivia as Dasypus vellerosus.

[5] Two subspecies are currently recognized (C. v. vellerosus (Gray, 1865) and C. v. pannosus (Gardner, 2007)) although the taxonomic validity of the split has been called into question.

The home range of an armadillo is recorded to consist of a minimum area of 3.4 ha (8.4 acres).

The armadillo is omnivorous; its diet consists of insects, vertebrates and plant material (especially pods of Prosopis), varying considerably depending upon the season.

The animals increase their weight by up to 10% in winter, forming a layer of subcutaneous fat 1 to 2 cm (0.39 to 0.79 in) thick.

The disjunct population of coastal Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, is adversely affected by mining activities.

The carapace is particularly sought for making charangos, a South American musical instrument akin to a lute.