borischiu
giant anteater
The giant anteater is one of only two taxa of mammals without any teeth even in a mature state (the pangolins comprising the other). An anteater instead crushes insects it consumes using hard growths found on the inside of its mouth, and its muscular stomach. Sand and small rocks have also been found in anteaters' stomachs, suggesting that these are ingested to aid digestion (possible gastroliths). They have an average body temperature of 32.7oC, which is one of the lowest of all land-living mammals. This and slow rate of metabolism means it is far from the most active mammal.It grows to a size of 6 feet (1.8 m) to 8 feet (2.4 m) long, including a 3 foot (90 cm) to 4 foot (1.2 m) torso and tail. Generally it weighs from 65 (29 kg) to 140 pounds (65 kg).
The giant anteater is covered with stiff, straw-like hair which grows up to 40 cm long on the tail. Young have soft hair until they are mature. The dominant colouring may be grey or brown, but all have a diagonal black and white shoulder stripe.
The giant anteater is generally acknowledged to have a keen sense of smell, used to locate ants, but is thought to have poor sight and hearing.
Despite its name, Myrmecophaga tridactyla, from the Greek meaning 'three-fingered ant eater', the anteater has five digits on each foot; however the middle three digits of the forefeet have elongated claws. These are extremely strong and are used to break open ant and termite mounds in order to feed, as well as effective defense from predators. The anteater walks on its knuckles in order to protect them, giving it a shuffling gait. The forefeet also have one other smaller claw, and the rear feet have five small claws.
The anteater's tongue can reach two feet (60 cm) in length, with a width of only 1/2 inch (12.5 mm). The anteater can cover its tongue in a sticky saliva, allowing it to trap ants, and can extend and withdraw it up to 150 times per minute. By convergent evolution pangolins, the giant anteater, and the tube-lipped nectar bat all have tongues which are detached from their hyoid bone and extend past their pharynx deep into the thorax.[4] This extension lies between the sternum and the trachea.
The giant anteater does not sleep in any fixed place, instead curling up in abandoned burrows and hollows. It covers its body with its long, bushy tail to sleep.
It bears a single offspring after a gestation period of 190 days, which will stay near the mother until she becomes pregnant again. The baby spends much of the first part of its life riding on its mother's back, until it is nearly half her size.
In the wild, the giant anteater is nocturnal or active at night near human settlements and diurnal or active during the day elsewhere. It stays mainly on dry ground but is a strong and capable swimmer.
When threatened, it stands up on its hind legs, using its tail to aid balance, and may strike extremely rapidly with its claws or "hug" attackers much like a bear. An adult anteater is capable of fending off or even killing its main predators, big cats such as the jaguar and the cougar.
The mating system of M. tridactyla is not well known. Reproductive behavior is primarily observed in captivity. The most notable witness to giant anteater mating is Canadian researcher William Sommers. So far, all that he has found is that the male stands over the female, who lies on her side during copulation. Further research is pending.
Gestation is approximately 190 days, after which females give birth to a single young that weighs about 2.8 lb(1.3 kg). Females give birth standing up and immediately the young anteater climbs onto her back. Young are born with a full coat of hair and adult-like markings. Breeding occurs year-round in captivity and the wild, though seasonal breeding times have been reported in portions of their range. Inter-birth intervals can be as low as nine months. Sexual maturity is reached between 2.5 and 4 years. The mammary glands are lateral to the 'armpits' on the chest.
Breeding interval: Giant anteaters can breed as often as every 9 months, though it is often longer.
Breeding season: Giant anteaters may breed year round, or seasonally depending on region.
Number of offspring: 1 (average)
Gestation period: 190 days (average)
Time to weaning: 6 months (average)
Time to independence: 24 months (average)
Age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 2.50 to 4 years
Age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 2.50 to 4 years
giant anteater
The giant anteater is one of only two taxa of mammals without any teeth even in a mature state (the pangolins comprising the other). An anteater instead crushes insects it consumes using hard growths found on the inside of its mouth, and its muscular stomach. Sand and small rocks have also been found in anteaters' stomachs, suggesting that these are ingested to aid digestion (possible gastroliths). They have an average body temperature of 32.7oC, which is one of the lowest of all land-living mammals. This and slow rate of metabolism means it is far from the most active mammal.It grows to a size of 6 feet (1.8 m) to 8 feet (2.4 m) long, including a 3 foot (90 cm) to 4 foot (1.2 m) torso and tail. Generally it weighs from 65 (29 kg) to 140 pounds (65 kg).
The giant anteater is covered with stiff, straw-like hair which grows up to 40 cm long on the tail. Young have soft hair until they are mature. The dominant colouring may be grey or brown, but all have a diagonal black and white shoulder stripe.
The giant anteater is generally acknowledged to have a keen sense of smell, used to locate ants, but is thought to have poor sight and hearing.
Despite its name, Myrmecophaga tridactyla, from the Greek meaning 'three-fingered ant eater', the anteater has five digits on each foot; however the middle three digits of the forefeet have elongated claws. These are extremely strong and are used to break open ant and termite mounds in order to feed, as well as effective defense from predators. The anteater walks on its knuckles in order to protect them, giving it a shuffling gait. The forefeet also have one other smaller claw, and the rear feet have five small claws.
The anteater's tongue can reach two feet (60 cm) in length, with a width of only 1/2 inch (12.5 mm). The anteater can cover its tongue in a sticky saliva, allowing it to trap ants, and can extend and withdraw it up to 150 times per minute. By convergent evolution pangolins, the giant anteater, and the tube-lipped nectar bat all have tongues which are detached from their hyoid bone and extend past their pharynx deep into the thorax.[4] This extension lies between the sternum and the trachea.
The giant anteater does not sleep in any fixed place, instead curling up in abandoned burrows and hollows. It covers its body with its long, bushy tail to sleep.
It bears a single offspring after a gestation period of 190 days, which will stay near the mother until she becomes pregnant again. The baby spends much of the first part of its life riding on its mother's back, until it is nearly half her size.
In the wild, the giant anteater is nocturnal or active at night near human settlements and diurnal or active during the day elsewhere. It stays mainly on dry ground but is a strong and capable swimmer.
When threatened, it stands up on its hind legs, using its tail to aid balance, and may strike extremely rapidly with its claws or "hug" attackers much like a bear. An adult anteater is capable of fending off or even killing its main predators, big cats such as the jaguar and the cougar.
The mating system of M. tridactyla is not well known. Reproductive behavior is primarily observed in captivity. The most notable witness to giant anteater mating is Canadian researcher William Sommers. So far, all that he has found is that the male stands over the female, who lies on her side during copulation. Further research is pending.
Gestation is approximately 190 days, after which females give birth to a single young that weighs about 2.8 lb(1.3 kg). Females give birth standing up and immediately the young anteater climbs onto her back. Young are born with a full coat of hair and adult-like markings. Breeding occurs year-round in captivity and the wild, though seasonal breeding times have been reported in portions of their range. Inter-birth intervals can be as low as nine months. Sexual maturity is reached between 2.5 and 4 years. The mammary glands are lateral to the 'armpits' on the chest.
Breeding interval: Giant anteaters can breed as often as every 9 months, though it is often longer.
Breeding season: Giant anteaters may breed year round, or seasonally depending on region.
Number of offspring: 1 (average)
Gestation period: 190 days (average)
Time to weaning: 6 months (average)
Time to independence: 24 months (average)
Age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 2.50 to 4 years
Age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 2.50 to 4 years