Plated animal (9)

I believe the answer is:

armadillo

'plated animal' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

This is all the clue.

(Other definitions for armadillo that I've seen before include "9ed [SHELLED] beast" , "Plated burrowing animal" , "Bony-plated insectivore" , "Animal covered with long plates" , "Mammal with protective plates" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph and the Irish Times (Simplex).

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