Aardvarks and anteaters are not related. Though it was once assumed that they were due to a few of their physical similarities. However, the truth of the matter is that the two do not have similarities as a sign of sharing a common ancestor, but rather due to convergent evolution.
All have evolved powerful digging forearms and long tongues. They also possess tube like snouts that do not consist of teeth that help the creatures make a living by raiding termite mounts. This similarity is often the people mistake that aardvarks and anteaters are related.
Furthermore, Anteaters are one of the three surviving families of a group of mammals that was once very diverse, and occupied South America. While it was geographically isolated from an invasion of animals from Northern America. The other two groups of animals being armadillos and sloths. These two creatures though they may in appearance seem to be related, are actually two very different species that differ in a number of characteristics. For one thing Aardvarks are from the family Oryteropodidae while the Anteater is from the family Cyclopedidae, Mrymecophagidae.
Aardvarks are creatures that live below the ground in burrows and unlike the Anteater possess teeth. In fact, their teeth are a cylindrical shape that will continue to grow throughout its lifetime. Aardvarks are nocturnal creatures that sleep during the day and are more active at night, whereas the Anteater is diurnal meaning that it is awake during the day and sleeps during the night.
Leave a Reply