If you’ve ever seen pictures of anteaters and tamanduas, you’ve probably thought that they look remarkably similar. So, what are the differences between them? Are there any differences, or are they one and the same? Keep reading. In this article, we’ll talk about anteaters vs. tamanduas and discuss their similarities and differences.
What You'll Learn Today
What Is an Anteater?
Anteaters are insectivorous mammals found in various regions of Central and South America. There are currently thought to be 10 distinct species of anteaters.
Anteaters belong to a suborder of animals called Vermilingua, which means “worm-tongue.” This is an adequate description of these creatures, as their tongue is the primary identifying feature that unites them.
Anteaters vary in appearance depending on species, but they all have elongated snouts and long tongues, which they use to hunt primarily ants and termites. They also have sharp claws that they use to rip open termite mounds and insect nests in search of food.
Some anteaters live primarily on the ground, while others spend much of their time in trees. They typically live alone or in pairs consisting of mother and offspring.
Various unrelated creatures are sometimes referred to as anteaters, such as the pangolin (or “scaly anteater”) and the numbat (or “banded anteater”). The aardvark is another animal commonly confused with the anteater, but it belongs to a different scientific family.
What Is a Tamandua?
Tamanduas are sometimes called lesser anteaters. There are two distinct species: the southern tamandua and the northern tamandua.
Southern tamanduas are found in Colombia and Trinidad as far south as Argentina; northern tamanduas are found from southern Mexico through parts of Peru and Venezuela. These animals belong to the suborder Vermilingua, so they are both anteater species.
Tamanduas are typically beige or tan with darker markings across their back and shoulders that look like a vest. Some tamanduas have darker or more uniform coloring, being either all tan or all black.
Tamanduas are both terrestrial and arboreal, meaning they spend time both on the ground and up in trees. They often live alone in dens they create in the ground or in hollow trees and logs.
Tamanduas commonly follow the same paths each day in search of food. They eat primarily ants and termites, but they never eat too many from any one colony and are careful to avoid species that have painful stings or bites.
Are There Any Differences Between Anteaters and Tamanduas?
As noted, tamanduas comprise two of the 10 anteater species. Tamanduas are themselves anteaters, so in terms of classification, there are no differences between tamanduas and anteaters.
That said, there are various differences between the different species of anteaters. Each species lives in a different part of Central or South America, though some of their ranges overlap.
Tamanduas are smaller than giant anteaters but larger than the various species of silky anteaters. Whereas giant anteaters live primarily on land and silky anteaters reside mostly in trees, tamanduas appear equally at home in both environments.
Tamanduas have shorter fur and different markings than giant anteaters. Their fur and markings also set them apart from silky anteaters, which generally have short fur as well but may come in a variety of colors and patterns.
Tamanduas have shorter snouts than giant anteaters, and their tails are much narrower and less shaggy in appearance. Though their tails and snouts are similar to those of silky anteaters, both are proportionately longer.
Finally, the number of toes and claws each anteater has varies by species. Tamanduas have four toes on each hand and foot, while silky anteaters have two toes and giant anteaters have five.
Check out this video to learn more about some of the different species of anteaters:
How Are Tamanduas Related to Other Anteaters?
Tamanduas and other anteaters are related to each other in that they all belong to the suborder Vermilingua. Though they come in different species, these animals share many of the same genetic qualities.
As noted, all anteaters, including tamanduas, are known for their long snouts and even longer tongues. They all have large salivary glands that secrete a sticky saliva to help them capture the ants and termites they consume.
All anteaters have proportionately long tails, along with sharp claws that help them search for food, climb trees, and defend themselves against predators. All anteaters eat a diet primarily consisting of ants and termites.
All anteaters are New World animals, found only in parts of Central and South America. They are typically found living in tropical forests and savannas throughout their native regions.
Though anteaters are subdivided into various species, they all share many physical and behavioral characteristics that show their similarities. This is true of tamanduas as well as every other type of anteater.
Conclusion
Tamanduas and anteaters are the same, as the northern and southern tamanduas are both species of anteater. Though they have differences that set them apart from other anteaters, they also have a variety of similarities, including their diet of ants and termites and their long tongues and tails.
