anteater

Mammal of the family Myrmecophagidae, order Edentata, native to Mexico, Central America, and tropical South America. The anteater lives almost entirely on ants and termites. It has toothless jaws, an extensile tongue, and claws for breaking into the nests of its prey.

Species include the giant anteater Myrmecophaga tridactyla, about 1.8 m/6 ft long including the tail, the tamandua or collared anteater Tamandua tetradactyla, about 90 cm/3.5 ft long, and the silky anteater Cyclopes didactyla, about 35 cm/14 in long. The name is also incorrectly applied to the aardvark, the echidna, and the pangolin.