Aardvarks and Anteaters are belonging to the same class that is Mammalia and the same phylum Chordata that’s why they seem identical animals but Both belong to different species. Aardvarks are nocturnal animals and Anteaters are diurnal animals but both are feeders of ants and termites through digging out from lands. However, they have many features that make difference between the two.
Summary
Aardvarks vs Anteaters
The main difference between Aardvarks and Anteaters is that Aardvarks belong to the family of Orycteropodidae of mammalian species that live below the ground in burrows. On the other hand, Anteaters belongs to the family of Cyclopedidae and Mrymecophagidae of mammalian species that lives on the ground.
Aardvarks whose weight is around 40-65kg have a life span of up to 25 years and do not know when they live like wild animals. They are nocturnal animals which means they are highly active throughout the night and feel sleepy during the daytime. Aardvarks hunts mostly in dark times because they have better adaptation in this time.
Anteaters whose weight is around 22-40kg have a life span of up to 25 years and 13-15 years when they live in the wilderness. They are diurnal animal which means they are highly active throughout the daytime and feels sleepy during the night. Their behavior during daytime is very attentive as many mammalian species did.
Comparison Table Between Aardvarks and Anteaters
| Parameter of Comparison | Aardvarks | Anteaters |
| Family | Aardvarks belong to the family of Orycteropodidae of Mammalia species | Anteaters belong to the family of Cyclopedidae and Mrymecophagidae of Mammalia species |
| Lifespan | Aardvarks generally have a life period of 25 year | Anteaters have a life span of 25 years and 13-15 years in the wilderness |
| Nature | Aardvarks are nocturnal animals which means they are active during the night | Anteaters are diurnal animals that mean they are active during the daytime |
| Distribution | Aardvarks are found in the African continent in savanna type climate | Anteaters are found in Central and South America in the humid forests along the bank of the river |
| Weight and Length | Aardvarks have a weight of 40-65kg and a total length of around 1-1.3m long | Anteaters have a weight of 22-40 kg and a total length of around 1-1.3 long |
What is Aardvarks?
Aardvarks are found in the African continent in savannas-type climate mostly found between the area of Cape of good hope in South Africa to the southern part of Egypt. They lived in woodlands and open grassland-type areas where they easily got ants and termites for their food support.
Unlike other mammalian species aardvarks prefer to be active during the night time and sleep during day time, however, if the night is too cold then they’ll come out in sunlight also for getting warm. Aardvarks live in burrows that are below the ground. The physical appearance looks like a pig.
Aardvark’s bodies are covered with hairs and have limbs. Their mouth is tabular in shape where they feed ants and termites. They have teeth that grow thought out their life span and are cylindrical. In their whole life, they only have a single offspring and have a seven-month gestation period.
Aardvarks cucumber is the only fruit that they eat otherwise they entirely depend upon termites and ants. They dig a-holes in the ground through its front legs for detecting their foods and eat through their sticky and long tongue. Aardvarks use their large ear for detecting predators.
What is Anteaters?
Anteaters are found in the south and central American region. Their habitat is mostly found in low swampy savannas-type climates. Anteaters are mostly located around the bank of the river in the depth of humid forest areas.
Like other mammalian species, Anteaters are diurnal animals which means they are active during the daytime and inactive or sleep in the night. They lived on the ground. In Anteaters teeth are not present but their tongue’s length is longer than the length of the head. Their length is around 1-1.3 meters long and life span of 25 years and 13-15 years in the wilderness.
Anteaters are a mammal that belongs to the suborder vermilingua from Cyclopedidae and Mrymecophagidae family. Anteater species are classified into 3 categories- Gaint Anteaters, Silky Anteaters, and tamandua. Out of this Giant Anteater is the most popular and common one. Anteaters’ smells are 40time stronger than that of humans but have a bad sense of sight.
The anteater’s forearm is so powerful. It helps in the digging of ground for searching ants and termites. They look similar to aardvarks that’s why they are named Anteaters
Main Difference Between Aardvarks and Anteaters
- Aardvarks belong to the family of Orycteropodidae of Mammalia species. On the other hand, Anteaters belong to the family of Cyclopedidae and Mrymecophagidae of Mammalia species
- Aardvarks are nocturnal animals while anteaters are diurnal animals
- Aardvarks are found in the African continent in the region between the cape of good hope in South Africa and the southern part of Egypt whereas anteaters are found in central and south America near the bank of the river
- Aardvarks lives below the ground and have a lifespan of 25 years on the other hand anteaters lives upon the ground and have a life span of 25 years and 13-15 years in the wilderness
- Aardvarks have teeth that are cylindrical in shape and grow throughout life whereas anteaters are toothless animals.
Conclusion
Both Aardvarks and Anteater are mammalian species but the families are different. Both food sources are ants and termites but aardvarks also eat aardvark’s cucumber however aardvarks have teeth of cylindrical shape whereas anteaters have no teeth. In their total life cycle, both will give only a single offspring.
Aardvarks are mammals of the superorder Tubulidentata. Anteaters are mammals that belong to the superorder of Vermilingua. Aardvarks live in burrows listed in the least concern list of IUCN and have habitat in the African continent whereas Anteaters live on the ground and are listed in the vulnerable section in IUCN red list.