";s:4:"text";s:22713:"The giant anteater remains widespread. [6], Anteaters and sloths belong to order Pilosa and share superorder Xenarthra with the Cingulata (whose only extant members are armadillos). [9] The species Neotamandua borealis was suggested to be an ancestor of the latter. In areas that experience seasonal flooding, like the grassy plains of the Venezuelan-Colombian Llanos, anteaters mainly feed on ants, because termites are less available. During feeding, the animal relies on the orientation of its head for aim. Giant anteaters can be found in a variety of habitats, such as forests, grasslands, and wetlands. One anteater was recorded sleeping with its tail stretched out on a sunny morning with an ambient temperature of 17 °C (63 °F); possibly it was positioned this way to allow its body to absorb the sun's rays for warmth. [18] Jaw depression creates an oral opening large enough for the slender tongue to flick out. Range and Distribution The giant armadillo lives in the tropical forests of northeastern South America, extending approximately from Venezuela to northern Argentina. [17], The giant anteater is native to Central and South America. Some very small anteaters live and feed up in trees, moving from one branch to another. In Venezuela, it is hunted for its claws. Giant anteaters are the largest species of anteater. They live in wetlands, grasslands and tropical forests. In color, they're mostly brown to gray brown, with a darker stripe (bordered by white) that extends from the throat to the middle of the back. Some very small anteaters live and feed up in trees, moving from one branch to another. In Central and South America they live in grasslands and rainforests. Mother anteaters carry their offspring on their backs until weaning them. [49] The animal in question, a male named Ramon, had a reputation for aggressiveness. If you want to read similar articles to Where Do Anteaters Live?, we recommend you visit our Facts about the animal kingdom category. The Cyclopes lineage emerged around 30 Mya in the Oligocene epoch, while the Myrmecophaga and Tamandua lineages split 10 Mya in the Late Miocene subepoch. [38] To drink, an anteater may dig for water when no surface water is available, creating waterholes for other animals. Their native habitat is Central and South America. [19], This animal is an insectivore, feeding mostly on ants or termites. They typically flee from danger by galloping, but if cornered,[38] will rear up on their hind legs and slash at the attacker. Released during the Phoney War, the film may have alluded to France's Maginot Line. Giant anteaters are insectivorous and feed on ants and termites though they can also consume eggs and fruits. The penis and testes are located internally between the rectum and urinary bladder in males, and females have a single pair of mammary glands near the armpits. Giant anteaters have been recorded from Central America through to Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina, although in its Central American range it is greatly reduced and confined to highland regions. After three months, the pup begins to eat solid food and is fully weaned by ten months. [2] The species is found in a number of habitats including both tropical rainforest and xeric shrubland,[14] provided enough prey is present to sustain it. They tend to be found in tropical moist forest, dry forest, savannas and open grasslands. They prefer to sleep in sheltered, covered areas. The coat is mostly greyish, brown or black and salted with white. [43] At Serra da Canastra, anteaters switch between eating mainly ants during the wet season (October to March) and termites during the dry season (May to September). This animal primarily feeds on ants and termites thanks to its powerful claws and its cylindrical tongue, which can measure up to 60 centimeters - 23 inches - in length and is particularly sticky. [5] As a "hook-and-pull" digger, the giant anteater's enlarged supraspinous fossa gives the teres major more leverage—increasing the front limbs' pulling power—and the triceps muscle helps power the flexion of the thickened third digit of the front feet. [43] These modes of defense prevent the entire colony from being eaten in one anteater attack. The tongue can reach up to 45 cm (18 in), longer than the length of the skull, and move in and out around 160 times per minute (nearly three times per second). Anteaters can adapt to different environments. They have all but disappeared from their historic range within Central America. In one Shipib tale, an anteater challenged a jaguar to a breath-holding contest under water, which the jaguar accepted. [19], Anteaters track prey by their scent. Three subspecies have been tentatively proposed: M. t. tridactyla (ranging from Venezuela and the Guianas to northern Argentina), M. t. centralis (native to Central America, northwestern Colombia, and northern Ecuador), and M. t. artata (native to northeastern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela). Its known range stretches from Honduras to northern Argentina, and fossil remains have been found as far north as northwestern Sonora, Mexico. This myth emphasizes the nearly immobile nature of the anteater's mouth, which was considered a burden. Giant anteaters live in the southernmost part of Central America and throughout a large part of South America. It has been extirpated from many parts of its former range. Here you can learn all about the dietary habits of the anteater. Discover more about this amazing animal as we explain where do anteaters live in this AnimalWised article. Giant Armadillos can be found along the northern coast. [18], Giant anteaters swallow at a much higher rate than most other mammals; when feeding, they swallow almost continuously. Anteater, Sloth & Armadillo Specialist Group –, This page was last edited on 18 November 2020, at 16:32. It is also important to mention the other causes that threaten the survival of this species: The anteater is a harmless animal. With its distinctive appearance and habits, the anteater has been featured in pre-Columbian myths and folktales, as well as modern popular culture. It forages in open areas and rests in more forested habitats. They live in the area between Honduras and Argentina. [8], The fossil record for anteaters is generally sparse. [37] Males are possibly territorial. If there is suitable habitat great blue herons live close to major urban areas as well, although they do tend to retreat when they see humans. [36] Diurnal giant anteaters have been observed at Serra da Canastra. Their range starts at the eastern side of the Andes, but it doesn't reach the far east of the continent. [28][29][20] The long sternoglossus muscle, which is formed by the fusion of the sternohyoid and the hyoglossus, is directly anchored to the sternum. This character was the inspiration for Peter the Anteater, the University of California, Irvine team mascot. Anteaters may target termite mounds with bee hives. Doing this allows the giant anteater to keep its claws out of the way while walking. [22] The anteater may be driven away from a nest by the chemical or biting attacks of soldiers. Between 2010 and 2012, two hunters were killed by giant anteaters in Brazil; in both cases, the hunters were agitating and wounding cornered animals and the attacks appeared to be defensive behaviors. [44] The front claws of the giant anteater are formidable weapons, capable of killing a jaguar. Its generic name, Myrmecophaga, and specific name, tridactyla, are both Greek, meaning "anteater" and "three fingers", respectively. Giant anteaters have bushy tails that they use to cover themselves up with at night. However, tame If it feels threatened it will defend itself with its powerful claws and all its weight, therefore resulting in a very dangerous animal. [38], Although they are shy and typically attempt to avoid humans, giant anteaters can inflict severe wounds with their front claws and have been known to seriously injure or kill humans who corner and threaten them. [19] Gestation lasts around 190 days[37] and ends with the birth of a single pup,[22] which typically weighs around 1.4 kg (3.1 lb). "A note on the climbing abilities of giant anteaters, "New morphological and genetic data of Gigantorhynchus echinodiscus (Diesing, 1851) (Acanthocephala: Archiacanthocephala) in the giant anteater Myrmecophaga tridactyla Linnaeus, 1758 (Pilosa: Myrmecophagidae)", "Morphological and molecular descriptions of, "Giant anteaters kill two hunters in Brazil", "Argentine zookeeper dies after anteater attack", "Young woman dies after attack by anteater", The Online Anteater: information, images, fun facts, and other stuff about the giant anteater, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Giant_anteater&oldid=989372017, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. 25 km2home range [34] The animal is particularly vulnerable to fires due to its slow movement and flammable coat. This species is mostly terrestrial, in contrast to other living anteaters and sloths, which are arboreal or semiarboreal. [5] Fighting anteaters may emit roars or bellows. Scientists estimate that there are only 5,000 individuals left in the wild. The giant anteater is commonly hunted in Bolivia, both for sport and sustenance. [45] The giant anteater is a host of the Acanthocephalan intestinal parasites Gigantorhynchus echinodiscus[46] and Moniliformis monoechinus. [11] Another member of the genus Myrmecophaga has been recovered from the Montehermosan Monte Hermoso Formation in Argentina and was described by Kraglievitch in 1934 as Nunezia caroloameghinoi. Anteaters are toothless creatures. Facts about anteaters. Anteater is a common name for the four extant mammal species of the suborder Vermilingua[1] (meaning "worm tongue") commonly known for eating ants and termites. When in sparsely populated areas, anteaters carry out their activities during the day, since it is a diurnal animal. [42] They appear to be able to recognize each other's saliva by scent. When retracted, the tongue is held in the oropharynx by the secondary palate, preventing it from blocking respiration. [18] Before being swallowed, insects are crushed against the palate. In a Yarabara myth, the evil ogre Ucara is transformed into one by the sun. The giant anteater is the biggest of its family, 182 to 217 cm (5.97 to 7.12 ft) in length, with weights of 33 to 50 kg (73 to 110 lb) for males and 27 to 47 kg (60 to 104 lb) for females. Anteaters are essential in maintaining insect populations. [51] The Kayapo people wear masks of various animals and spirits, including the anteater, during naming and initiation ceremonies. Established in 1964, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has evolved to become the world’s most comprehensive information source on the global conservation status of animal, fungi and plant species. A 2006 study in the Pantanal found those anteaters to be mostly nocturnal: they are most active during nighttime and early morning, and retire as the temperature rises. [32] It is officially protected in some Argentine provinces as a national heritage species. Its distribution range covers a large area from Honduras to northern Argentina. It was used as a bookplate for André Breton, who compared the temptations a man experiences in life to what "the tongue of the anteater must offer to the ant. It serves to keep them warm and to camouflage them from predators. The giant anteater is listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The mother grooms her offspring during rest periods lasting up to an hour. Giant anteaters are found in a wide variety of habitats such as forests, grasslands and swampy areas. The middle digits, which support most of its weight, are extended at the metacarpophalangeal joints and bent at the interphalangeal joints. The giant anteater is native to Central and South America. Its eyes and ears are relatively small. [5] It has poor eyesight,[14] but its sense of smell is 40 times more sensitive than that of humans. The body ends in a brown tail. However, it is hugely important not to interfere with the giant anteater. The answer is … [19], Other prey include the larvae of beetles and western honey bees that have located their hives in termite mounds. To thrive, … - Habitat and Distribution, Where Do Lemurs Live? Thick black bands with white outlines stretch from throat to shoulder, ending in triangular points. Protamandua did not appear to have feet specialized for terrestrial or arboreal locomotion, but it may have had a prehensile tail. It is recognizable by its elongated snout, bushy tail, long fore claws, and distinctively colored pelage. Neotamandua, though, is unlikely to have had a prehensile tail and its feet were intermediate in form between those of the tamanduas and the giant anteater. 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