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Steven G. Platt and William E. Snyder 
The distribution and status of the nine-banded armadillo in South 
Carolina is problematical. Webster et. al. (1985) stated that South 
Carolina might represent the northernmost limit of the armadillo’s 
expanding range, but concluded its status was uncertain. Hall’s (1981) 
range map included most of South Carolina based on three records 
from Golley (1966), which the latter believed to be translocated animals. 
Humphrey (1974) listed a single occurrence based on a widely circulated 
questionnaire, and Sanders (1978) reported ten records from scattered 
Coastal Plain and Piedmont locations. More recently Mayer (1989) 
summarized all previous state records, reported two additional animals, 
and 15 recent sightings listed by respondents to a questionnaire (Mayer 
1989). Given the proximity of many previous records to major highways, 
some believe these reports represent escaped or released animals rather 
than pioneering individuals at the forefront of an expanding range 
(Golley 1966, Sanders 1978, Mayer 1989). Mayer (1989) concluded 
that because direct evidence of an established population is lacking, 
the status of the species in South Carolina remains uncertain. 
METHODS 
We present an additional museum record, not previously reported, 
and field observations from southwestern South Carolina. The museum 
specimen (Clemson University Vertebrate Collection #126) was collected 
9 December 1978 on Port Lamar Road, Cessionville, Charleston County. 
Field observations were made in Jasper, Allendale, and Barnwell counties 
during April, May, August, and October 1995 (Table 1). Specific locality 
data for all records were deposited in the files of the Clemson University 
Vertebrate Collection (CUSC). 
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 
Four road-killed and two living animals were found in five nights 
(ca. 9.5 hours) of collecting along a 17.6-km segment of Sandhills 
Road (County Road 119), due west of Tillman. Furthermore, numerous 
tracks and probe-holes made by foraging armadillos (Murie 1954) were 
noted at the Tillman Sand Ridge Natural Heritage Preserve on Sandhills 
Road. This road is a popular collecting location for reptile enthusiasts, 
and others also report frequent sightings of road-killed and living armadillos 
here (Todd Kuntz, United States Forest Service, personal communication). 
Another road-killed armadillo was found in Jasper County on Cohen 
Road (County Road 22), ca. 10 km northeast of Tillman. Two additional 
road-killed animals were also found in Barnwell and Allendale counties. 
We are unaware of any other reports of such a temporal and spatial 
