Anteaters, as their name suggests, are primarily insect-feeding mammals belonging to the suborder Vermilingua. Along with sloths (suborder Folivora), this group falls under the order Pilosa and comprises four extant species: the giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla), the silky or pygmy anteater (Cyclopes didactylus), the northern tamandua (Tamandua mexicana), and the southern tamandua or collared anteater (Tamandua tetradactyla).
They are equipped with long snouts and powerful curved claws on their forefeet, which help in breaking the nests of their prey. Anteaters also possess a thin, long tongue (up to 2 ft), which they rapidly flick to gather large amounts of food.
These animals originated in South America and spread into North America around 3 million years ago with the formation of the Isthmus of Panama. Currently, they are found in the New World, from southern Mexico to northern Argentina, as well as the Caribbean islands.
The four species of anteaters vary considerably in size.
| Species | Total Body Length | Weight |
| Giant Anteater (Largest species) | Around 6.6 ft (2 m) | About 73 lb (33 kg) |
| Northern Tamandua | 40 to 51 in (102 to 130 cm) | 7.1 to 11.9 lb (3.2 to 5.4 kg) |
| Southern Tamandua | 28 to 61 in (71 to 155 cm) | 3.3 to 18.5 lb (1.5 to 8.4 kg) |
| Silky Anteater (Smallest species) | 17 in (43 cm) | 8.3 oz (235 gm) |
These animals are characterized by conspicuously long snouts equipped with a thin, long tongue, which is fixed to the sternum. Additionally, they bear enlarged submaxillary glands that produce sticky saliva for digesting the insects they feed on. They have a small mouth, lacking teeth.
One of the most notable features of anteaters is the large claws present on the third digit of their front feet. These claws help them break into termite and ant mounds. The other digits of their feet are either small or absent altogether.
Their bodies are covered by dense fur, and the tail is long (often as long as the body) and prehensile, except in giant anteaters.
Male anteaters are slightly larger, more muscular, and possess wider heads and necks than their female counterparts. However, differentiating sex is difficult since the penis and the testes are located internally in males, and the single pair of mammae in females is present near the armpits.
Apart from its giant size, this species has long, dark brown or black fur covering its body. A triangular black band bordered with white extends from the shoulders to the chest, continuing to the middle of its body.
The forelimbs are mostly white, blotched with black fur at the wrists and above the claws. The tail is as long as the body and is covered with long, coarse fur.
The two medium-sized species, Northern and Southern tamanduas, are golden brown to gray in color. A black vest-like patch runs on the back and the belly, joined by two black bands running across the shoulders. Some individuals, however, may lack the patch and instead have a uniform yellow, brown, or black coat.
In general, tamanduas have a relatively shorter snout (than giant anteaters) and distinctively long ears. Their tails are prehensile and mostly without any fur.
The smallest of all anteater varieties, this species has silky, gray to golden-brown fur, sometimes flecked with silver on the back. However, some South American populations, particularly those in the Amazon Basin, have a dark brown stripe running down the middle of their back.
The silky anteater’s face is only slightly extended relative to its body size, and it has a characteristic downward tilt.
These animals are named anteaters because they mostly feed on ants. Sometimes, completely unrelated mammals, like echidnas, numbats, pangolins, and aardvarks, are also informally referred to as anteaters.
The silky anteater (Cyclopes didactylus) belongs to the genus Cyclopes under the family Cyclopedidae, while the other three species, namely giant anteater and the Northern and Southern tamandua, belong to two genera, Myrmecophaga and Tamandua, under the family Myrmecophagidae.
The two tamandua species derive their name from the Tupi word tamanduá, which also hints at their ant-eating habit.
Initially, anteaters were thought to be closely related to aardvarks and pangolins owing to their similarities (due to convergent evolution) in forearm and snout anatomy, as well as the length of their tongues. However, recent studies suggest that their closest relatives are the sloths, followed by armadillos. Together with sloths and armadillos, anteaters constitute the superorder Xenarthra.
These mammals originated in South America and migrated to Central and North America during the Great American Interchange (around 3 million years ago with the formation of the Isthmus of Panama). Some fossil species have been discovered from as far north as Sonora in Mexico, suggesting their broader range in the past. However, that range probably shrunk due to the deglaciation of their habitats in North America during the Late Pleistocene Epoch.
These mammals are native to the New World, ranging from southern Mexico to northern Argentina, including the Caribbean islands.
Anteaters live in a variety of habitats, such as rainforests, grasslands, dry tropical forests, and savannas. The giant anteater is primarily terrestrial, living on the ground, while tamanduas are mainly arboreal, and the silky anteater is exclusively arboreal.
Anteaters are insectivorous and consume insects like ants and termites. While smaller species, like silky anteaters, specialize in arboreal insects, larger species, such as giant anteaters, feed on terrestrial insects.
Anteaters break open the mounds of ants and termites using the claws of their forefeet. They then insert their tongue into the nests, lapping in a large number of insects by flicking their tongue very quickly (about 150 times per minute).
These animals spend about a minute at each nest and then move to the next in search of food. The giant anteater is an expert at this, visiting as many as 200 nests per day.
Being primarily solitary, anteaters defend their territories vehemently. When threatened, they use their hindlimbs and tails as a tripod and swat their enemies with the claws of the forefeet. They may even sit and ride on the backs of their enemies.
If approached by a predator, anteaters often vocalize with sounds like bellows.
They mostly remain solitary (except for mother-offspring pairs) and maintain territories of about 1.0 to 1.5 sq mi (2.6 to 3.9 km2).
The average lifespan of anteaters varies with species.
Anteaters typically mate during fall, followed by the birth of a single baby during spring or summer. However, some species, like the Southern tamandua, occasionally bear twins.
Females usually give birth in sheltered spots, such as dense shrubs, and the newborns cling to their backs shortly after being born.
The gestation period varies across the species, with giant anteaters carrying their young for approximately 180 days (6 months), silky anteaters for 120 to 150 days, and tamanduas for 130 to 150 days.
The young silky anteaters and tamanduas typically attain sexual maturity in about 2 years, whereas giant anteaters become sexually mature in 3 to 4 years.
Giant anteaters usually fall prey to large mammalian predators, like jaguars and pumas, while tamanduas are generally attacked by ocelots, foxes, and caimans. The Southern tamandua is particularly susceptible to attacks by jaguars.
In contrast, silky anteaters are targeted by harpy eagles, spectacled owls, and eagle hawks.
A large number of parasitic organisms, like ticks, worms, fleas, and acanthocephalans, live off their bodies. Among ticks, members of the genus Amblyomma particularly parasitize anteaters.
The giant anteater is listed under the Vulnerable (VU) category of the IUCN Red List, whereas the other three species belong to Least Concern (LC) due to their large range.
In the last 21 years, giant anteater populations have declined by over 30% owing to threats like habitat loss and degradation, hunting, and wildfires.
Anteaters have one of the lowest body temperatures among all mammals, typically ranging from 91 to 97°F (33 to 36°C). They can easily tolerate sharp fluctuations in internal temperature, cooling themselves while resting and warming up while foraging.
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