Антилопы и муравьеды: почему животные, питающиеся термитами, не являются родственниками

Please join me in unraveling a somewhat confusing issue regarding mammals that dine exclusively on ants and termites. Anteaters are the four extant mammal species in the suborder Vermilingua (meaning "worm tongue") and are the name of a four-species classification of animals. They are the Giant Anteater, the Northern Tamandua, the Southern Tamandua and the tiny Silky Anteater. Anteaters are large (140-190 pounds), toothless, insect-eating mammals native to Central and South America. Their bodies are mainly covered with long, dark brown or black fur, with a prominent triangular white-edged black band from the shoulders down to the chest, continuing to mid-body. Their forelegs are mostly white, marked with black at the wrists, ending just above the claws. They consume up to 35,000 ants each day. They have a tube-like snout, a sticky tongue that can reach up to 2 feet long and flick 150 times per minute and have no teeth. Their long, smooth and tapered snout is wide near the eyes and narrows sharply to a tiny point at the tip. Their inconspicuous ears are round and very small. Their tails are massive, extremely long, and very bushy. Their interesting front claws grow up to 4 inches long or more, are curved and knife-like, forcing them to walk on their knuckles. These sharp front claws help them tear open hard nests and defend against predators like jaguars and pumas. Most species are solitary, and mothers carry a single baby (pup) on their backs while traveling. They are found in Central and South America, living in forests and rainforests. Here’s the deal: Anteaters and aardvarks look similar at a glance, but you can quickly tell them apart by comparing their snouts, ears, tails, and fur. The aardvark is a medium-sized (130-180 pounds), burrowing mammal native to sub-Saharan Africa, famous for its pig-like snout, rabbit-like ears and large ears that can fold shut to block out dirt. Even though aardvarks look like anteaters or pigs, they do not belong to those animal groups. Instead, they belong to an ancient mammalian superorder called Afrotheria. They are closely related to elephants and manatees and they have powerful front feet with shovel-like claws made for rapid digging. Like anteaters, they also have an exclusive diet of ants and termites. Its name means "earth pig" in Afrikaans, a West Germanic language spoken primarily in South Africa and Namibia. Their body is stout, with an arched back, sparse coarse hair and a long, muscular tail, and it stands about 2 feet tall at the shoulder. They have unique tube-like teeth made without enamel. Their feet feature shorter, flatter, spoon-shaped digging claws that do not require a knuckle-walking stance. The aardvark is found only in sub-Saharan Africa, living in grasslands and savannas (a mixed woodland-grassland). (Crediting Google, AI overview and Wikipedia for much of the information throughout) Apparently, ant-eating aardvarks aren't anteaters. Again, my mind and heart thrill at creator God’s powerful creative designs and purposes for two more unique mammals such as these. I always considered these ant- and termite-eaters to be one and the same thing. Wrong. What kind of awe and worship does this stimulate in our hearts?! I’ve never been to Africa or Australia and have no plans to ever be. I’ve never ever seen a “real live” anteater or aardvark. It almost feels as though if we’ve never seen something, then either it doesn’t really exist or is merely in the realm of fantasy or make-believe. Can you imagine observing this many ants and termites being devoured? What do you think about those snouts and ears and claws and fur? Have you ever been to Australia or Africa? Have you ever seen these critters in a zoo? “Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?" PRAYER NUGGET: Oh Lord, you do great things! Yes, wonders without number. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! We praise you in Jesus’ name! (Job 9:10) D. Jake Roberts is the assistant pastor at Monument Bible Church in Scottsbluff. He is the author of the book, "Treestand Chatter," now available from Christian Faith Publishing at the Bible Book Shop, Barnes & Noble, Amazon and other sources.  Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!