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Anteater,
common name for any of four insect-eating mammals of Mexico, Central
America, and South America, having a long head with a long, tubular
mouth and long tongue, but no teeth. The giant anteater, (pictured at
the left) weighing up to 86 pounds, is the largest species of
anteater. It lives in forests and swampy areas and on open plains and
is mainly diurnal in areas where there are few people, and is
nocturnal in densely populated areas. The coarse coat is gray, with a
white-bordered black stripe on each shoulder, and the tail is long
and bushy. The front claws, used to tear open termite mounds and for
defense, are so long that they are tucked under, and the animal walks
on its knuckles. The long tongue flicks rapidly in and out of the
small mouth opening, scooping up termites or other insects on its
sticky surface.
The pygmy anteater is the smallest species of anteater, ranging from 13 to 20 inches. It is covered with golden-brown fur. Its jaws curve to form a short tube, and it eats termites and other insects. Mainly arboreal, it has a prehensile tail. The two species of lesser anteaters are the size of a large domestic cat and have short, coarse, tan to blackish hair, usually with a black band around body and neck. They also live in trees but frequently come down to the ground. Both the pygmy and the lesser anteaters are predominantly nocturnal and walk on the sides of their front feet because of the length of their claws. All three species are characterized by solitary habits and a low reproductive rate. The female carries the single young on her back during its growth; in the case of the giant anteater, this can last almost one year.
Other, unrelated mammals called anteaters are the aardvark, echidna, pangolin, and numbat.
Aardvark (Afrikaans
for "earth pig"), common name for a burrowing, ant-eating
mammal. The aardvark is found throughout much of Africa, from the
southern part of Egypt to the Cape of Good Hope. A primarily
nocturnal animal, it lives in burrows and feeds on ants and termites,
occasionally eating other insects, the fat mouse, and a species of
wild ground cucumber.
Echidna
The numbat is an endangered marsupial that lives in southwestern Australia, often in eucalyptus groves. Numbats use their sensitive noses and sticky tongues to find and eat insects, especially termites. During the winter months they warm themselves by basking in the sun. Australians have created captive breeding colonies for numbats in hopes of ensuring their survival.
John Cancalosi/Peter Arnold, Inc.
Pangolin, or scaly anteater, is the common name for certain mammals native to Asia and Africa that are almost entirely covered with brown, horny, overlapping scales. The pangolins' thick, prehensile tails make up a large part of their length, which ranges from 2 to 6 feet. Some species, such as the Chinese pangolin, are mainly arboreal. Others, like the giant pangolin, are terrestrial and prefer an open habitat, where they dig burrows. Most pangolins are nocturnal, although a few species are diurnal. For protection while sleeping, or when frightened, the pangolin rolls up in a tight ball and raises its scales, which are sharp on the edges; a female will also roll up around its young. Pangolins are seen alone or in pairs. Usually one young, with soft scales, is born at a time. The pangolin is toothless but has a long, thin, sticky tongue with which it picks up ants and termites, its main diet. The long, rakelike front claws are used to rip open termite nests.
