Which mammalian order contains armadillos?

Which mammalian order contains armadillos? The answer is Cingulata.

Cingulata is the mammalian order of armored placental mammals that includes living armadillos and several extinct relatives. Its members are characterized by bony plates, called osteoderms, embedded in the skin and covered by a tougher outer layer. In many armadillos, flexible bands allow parts of the shell to move as the animal digs, walks, or curls defensively.

Living cingulates belong mainly to the families Dasypodidae and Chlamyphoridae. They are part of the broader superorder Xenarthra, which also includes sloths and anteaters. That larger grouping is a common source of confusion: Xenarthra is the wider evolutionary group, while Cingulata is the order specifically associated with armadillos.

Cingulates originated in South America, which remained their main stronghold while the continent was isolated. Some later moved north during the Great American Interchange. Extinct relatives included giant glyptodonts, whose massive fused armor and clubbed tails made them resemble armored tanks more than modern armadillos.