The most notable physical characteristic of D. novemcinctis (and all armadillos) is the leathery skin and ossified dermal plates on the back, sides, tail and top of the head that form a turtle-like carapace. This carapace is divided into three sections: a scapular shield, a pelvic shield, and a series of telescoping "bands" around the mid-section. The bands are connected by soft, hairless skin and the anterior edge of each band is overlapped by the preceding band. Despite the common name, Dasypus novemcinctus can have as few as 7 or as many as 11 bands. In the northern and southern portions of the range eight bands are the norm and nine bands are normally only found in the central portion of the range. The tail is covered by 12 to 15 rings. The ears are about half the length of the head and covered with tough skin. The head is pointed and ends in a pig-like snout. The forefeet have 4 digits and the hindfeet have 5 digits. The toes have long, sharp, curved claws useful for digging. The limbs are short and stout, also useful for digging. Dasypus novemcinctus has no incisors or canines and the teeth are single rooted and peg-like. The adult teeth do not have enamel. Males tend to be slightly larger than females. Females range in weight from 3.6 to 6 kg; males range from 5.5 to 7.7. Some other measurements are: total length, 616-800 mm; tail length, 245-370; hindfoot length, 75-107 mm; ear length, 40 mm; skull length, 85.5-100 mm.