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More About Anteaters ...
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Anteaters are mammals of the order Xenarthra and the family Myrmecophagidae, commonly known for eating ants and termites.
The largest representative of the group is the Giant Anteater or Ant-bear (Myrmecophaga tridactyla or jubata), an animal measuring 4 feet (1.2 m) in length without the tail, and 2 feet (60 cm) in height at the shoulder. It has a long, thin head and a large, bushy tail. Its prevailing colour is grey, with a broad black band, bordered with white, starting on the chest, passing over the shoulder, and coming to a point near the loins.
It is extensively distributed in the tropical parts of South and Central America, frequenting low swampy savannas, along the banks of rivers, and the depths of the humid forests, but is nowhere abundant.
Its food consists mainly of termites, which it obtains by opening their nests with its powerful sharp anterior (front) claws. As the insects swarm to the damaged part of their dwelling, it draws them into its mouth by means of its long, flexible, rapidly moving tongue covered with sticky saliva.
The Giant Anteater lives above ground, not burrowing underground like armadillos. Though generally an inoffensive animal, when attacked it can defend itself with its sharp claws. The female produces a single young at a birth.
The two tamandua anteaters, as typified by Tamandua (or Uroleptes) tetradactyla, are much smaller than the Giant Anteater, and differ essentially from it in their habits, being mainly tree-dwelling. They inhabit the dense primeval forests of South and Central America. The usual colour is yellowish-white, with a broad black lateral band, covering nearly the whole of the side of the body.
The Silky Anteater (Cyclopes didactylus) is a native of the hottest parts of South and Central America, and about the size of a rat, of a general yellowish color, and exclusively tree-dwelling.
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Taxonmony
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Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Xenarthra
Family: Myrmecophagidae
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Source: Wikipedia Read more about Anteaters
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INFO LINKS
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Giant Anteater
National Geographic
Giant Anteater fact sheet and pictures; audio clip Read More
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Chinese Pangolin
Yunnan Animal Museum
": Chinese pangolin is good at digging up caves. Usually, its fore limbs will dig and its hind limbs will push the soft soil away". Categorized information on food, size, habits, category, distribution, and level of protection, etc. Read More
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Tamandua
Sedgwick County Zoo
Information on physical characterestics, diet,behavior, etc. Kind of anteater that lives in South America Read More
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Giant Anteater
theBigZoo.com
"A keen sense of smell is critical for the Giant anteater. It is used to locate ant colonies located in the anteater?s territory". "It also has one of the lowest body temperatures of any known mammal". Categorized information on food habitat, predators, social structure, senses, etc. Read More
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Tamandua
PBS
"There are plenty of ants and termites to be found high up in the trees, and the tamandua knows how to get to them -- sticking his tongue into the holes". Simple language and interesting. Good site for middle school level Read More
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Giant Anteater
Rainforest Conservation Fund
Inforamtion on habitat, niche, life history, status, etc. "The single offspring rides on the mother's back; it must crawl up to her back since the mother has no teeth or fingers to lift it up". Read More
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Anteater
Animals Of The Rainforest
Brief description, taxonomic information, good images and links Read More
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Pangolin
African Wildlife Foundation
Detailed fact sheet Read More
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Southern Tamandua
National Zoo
Southern Tamandua fact sheet Read More
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Giant Anteater
The Canadian Museum of Nature Online
"The giant anteater of South America is about the size of a German shepherd dog". Brief Narrative. Read More
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Pangolin
SafariCamLive.com - African Wildlife to the World
Safaricam datasheet for Pangolin. Brief categorized information Read More
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Giant Anteater
Houston Zoo
About Giant Anteater Read More
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Southern Tamandua
Houston Zoo
About Southern Tamandua Read More
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