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Anteater

 
(′ant′ēd·ər)

(vertebrate zoology) Any of several mammals, in five orders, which live on a diet of ants and termites.


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A name associated with several animals in five different orders of the three major groups of living mammals (see table). They are so named because they are insectivorous, having a diet of ants and termites. The animal most frequently associated with this name is the ground-living Myrmecophaga tridactyla, the giant anteater, a member of the family Myrmecophagidae in the order Edentata (see illustration). This family has three other species, Tamandua longicaudata, T. tetradactyla, and Cyclopes didactylus, all of which are arboreal.

The giant anteater (<i>Myrmecophaga tridactyla</i>).
The giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla).

Classification and scientific name of some animals commonly referred to as anteaters

Mammalian order

Scientific name

Common name

Monotremata

Tachyglossus setosus

Spiny anteater or Tasmanian echidna

T. aculeatus

Australian echidna

Zaglossus bruijini

Bruijn's echidna

Z. bartoni

Barton's echidna

Z. bubuensis

Bubu echidna

Marsupialia

Myrmecobius fasciatus

Marsupial anteater or banded anteater

M. rufus

Rusty numbat

Pholidota

Manis gigantea

Scaly anteater or giant pangolin

M. temmincki

Cape pangolin

M. tricuspis

Tree pangolin

M. longicaudata

Long-tailed tree pangolin

M. pentadactyla

Chinese pangolin

M. crassicaudata

Indian pangolin

M. javanica

Malayan pangolin

Edentata

Myrmecophaga tridactyla

Giant anteater

Tamandua longicaudata

Long-tailed anteater

T. tetradactyla

Tamandua

Cyclopes didactylus

Dwarf anteater

Tubulidentata

Orycteropus afer

Aardvark or Cape anteater

All four species are restricted to the tropical regions of South and Central America. Myrmecophaga tridactyla prefers the grasslands and more open forested areas. The animal is about 6 ft (1.8 m) long including the tail length, which measures about 2 ft (0.6 m). It is toothless, and the head extends into a long, tubular snout with a small mouth opening. The tongue is long, protrusible, and covered with a viscous mucous material which entraps the insects. The front feet have greatly enlarged claws used for tearing into ant and termite mounds and as defensive weapons. The body is covered with long hair, and in Cyclopes the tail is prehensile. Usually a single young is produced by the female, which she may carry on her back until it is quite large. See also Aardvark; Edentata; Marsupialia; Monotremata; Pholidota; Tubulidentata.


 
 
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anteater
marsupial anteater (vertebrate zoology)
echidna (vertebrate zoology)

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Sci-Tech Dictionary. McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms. Copyright © 2003, 1994, 1989, 1984, 1978, 1976, 1974 by McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
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