Interactions between Euphractus sexcinctus and snakes: Behavioral evidence documented in digital media

Armadillos (Cingulata) are omnivorous, feeding on fruits, invertebrated, vertebrates, and even carcasses, but records of active ophiophagy behavior are rare. Based on systematic searches in open digital media, we documented 12 interactions between six-banded armadillos (Euphractus sexcinctus) and snakes, including venomous and non-venomous species. There were six cases of successful active predation, one interaction of the necrophagy type, one unsuccessful interaction involving a rattlesnake, and four records in which the types of interaction could not be identified. The attacks included bites and restraint of the prey’s head. Our results expand knowledge about the feeding ecology of the six-banded armadillo, demonstrating that social media can provide unprecedented records of behaviors rarely documented in scientific literature.