Giant+Anteater



[|Linnaeus], [|1758] || [|Linnaeus], 1758 ||
 * ~ [|Scientific classification] ||
 * Kingdom: || [|Animalia] ||
 * Phylum: || [|Chordata] ||
 * Class: || [|Mammalia] ||
 * Superorder: || [|Xenarthra] ||
 * Order: || [|Pilosa] ||
 * Suborder: || [|Vermilingua] ||
 * Family: || [|Myrmecophagidae] ||
 * Genus: || //**Myrmecophaga**//
 * Species: || //**M. tridactyla**// ||
 * ~ [|Binomial name] ||
 * = ** //Myrmecophaga tridactyla// **

Food:
Giant anteaters eat ants, termites and grubs. Using the long, sharp claws on their front legs, they dig into insect colonies and tree trunks. They then use the tongue to collect the eggs, larvae, and insects. The salivary glands give out sticky saliva during feeding that coats the tongue. They only stay at one ant colony for a short period of time to avoid soilder ants, but giant anteaters can consume a few thousand insects in minutes. The tongue is attached to the sternum and moves very quickly, flicking 150 times per minute. They will eat fruit and bird's eggs on occasion.

Anatomy:
these anteaters have smal rocks in their stomach which aids the digestion process. The average body temperature of this anteater is about 32.7 degrees celcius or 90 degrees farenheight. This is the lowest bdy temp of any mamal. The giant anteater grows up to seven feet long, but three feet of that comes from the tail. The body is about 4 feet. despite the size they usually weigh about 65 to 140 pounds. They use their smell to locate ants, because their poor sense of sight is unreliable. Unlike many mamals, the anteater does not have one designated home. They travel and sleep wherever they can, usually in burrows or hollows. In the wild the anteater is nocturnal, but in captivity, it often adjusts and is then dinurnal. When threatend, it stands on its hind legs, then pounces on the attacker.

Interesting Facts:

 * The anteater's tounge can reach up to 2 feet in length
 * The tounge has stick saliva that traps ants
 * They walk on their knuckles
 *  //Myrmecophaga tridactyla// means thre-fingered ant eater but this anteater actually has five fingers
 * They have no teeth, even when full-grown