ANTEATER Definition & Meaning

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anteater

[ant-ee-ter]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

any of several mammals of the family Myrmecophagidae, having a long, tapered snout, extensile tongue, and powerful front claws and feeding chiefly on ants and termites.
the aardvark.
a pangolin.
an echidna.
banded anteater.

anteater

/ ˈæ�Գ�ˌ��ː��ə /

any toothless edentate mammal of the family Myrmecophagidae of Central and South America, esp Myrmecophaga tridactyla (or jubata ) ( giant anteater ), having a long tubular snout used for eating termites See also tamandua
another name for pangolin
another name for echidna
another name for numbat

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First recorded in 1755–65; ant + eat ( def. )

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Examples have not been reviewed.

Extant animals like giant armadillos and giant anteaters, related to Darwin’s ancient giant sloths, have experienced similar pressures.

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A tamandua, or collared anteater, with prizefighter arms and curved claws that break open termite mounds, tried to ignore a car full of onlookers.

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Despite often being compared to pigs and South American anteater, aardvarks are not related to them.

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Threatened pangolins, known as armored anteaters, scramble along branches.

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Pangolins—also called scaly anteaters—are the only mammals with reptilelike scales, which grow from modified hair follicles.

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