![]() ![]() Cyclopes, also from Greek, means squirrel, while didactylus means two-toed. Tamandua means anteater in the native language Tupi and in Brazilian Portuguese. Other anteaters are southern tamanduas ( Tamandua tetradactyla), northern tamanduas ( Tamandua Mexicana), and silky anteaters ( Cyclopes didactylus), the smallest animal in this classification. This is the animal that most people think of when referring to anteaters. The giant anteater’s scientific name is Myrmecophaga tridactyla, which is Greek in origin and means three-fingered anteater. ![]() The anteater is known for its long, thin tongue that can extend greater than the length of its head. The paws of all four species feature enormous, long, and sharp claws that require the animals to walk on their knuckles or wrists to avoid stabbing themselves.Baby anteaters have similar coloring, which allows the baby to “vanish” while making its mother look bigger. Their legs, which look like panda faces, are part of the giant anteater’s protective coloring.The pygmy sloth is one of the anteater’s closest relatives, but their common ancestor is more than 55 million years old.The anteater has the longest tongue of any animal in relation to its body size. ![]() Giant anteaters, the most well-known of the four species, can consume as many as 35,000 ants or termites in a single day. However, they use their long tongues to eat the insects that comprise the bulk of their diet. Anteaters are edentate animals, meaning they have no teeth. A giant anteater can consume up to 35,000 ants in one day!Īnteater refers to several medium-sized insect-eating mammals found in the Southern Hemisphere. ![]()
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