Head to head
Aardvark vs Giant Anteater
The aardvark of Africa and the giant anteater of South America both live on ants and termites, both have long snouts and long sticky tongues, and both dig into insect nests with heavy claws. Yet they are not related at all, and they are one of biology's clearest examples of convergent evolution.
| Aardvark | Giant Anteater | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it lives | Sub-Saharan Africa | Central and South America |
| Closest relatives | Elephant shrews, hyraxes, elephants (Afrotheria) | Sloths and armadillos (Xenarthra) |
| Size | About 60 kg, pig-sized | About 30–50 kg, dog-sized but much longer-bodied |
| Teeth | A few simple peg-like cheek teeth | None at all |
| Ears | Large, upright, rabbit-like | Small and rounded |
| Tail | Thick and tapering, not used for cover | Long and bushy, used as a blanket and sunshade |
| Digs burrows | Yes; a prolific digger whose burrows shelter many other species | No; rips open nests but shelters on the surface |
| Activity | Strictly nocturnal | Often diurnal where undisturbed, nocturnal near people |
| Tongue | Up to about 30 cm, sticky | Up to about 60 cm, flicked up to 150 times a minute |
Aardvark vs Anteater: common questions
Are aardvarks and anteaters related?
No. They look and live alike because of convergent evolution, but the aardvark is an African mammal whose relatives are elephants and hyraxes, while the anteater is a South American mammal grouped with sloths and armadillos. Their last common ancestor lived over 100 million years ago.
What is the difference between an aardvark and an anteater?
Continent (Africa versus the Americas), body shape (pig-like burrower versus shaggy long-bodied walker), teeth (a few pegs versus none), and lifestyle (the aardvark lives underground, the anteater on the surface). The name aardvark is Afrikaans for earth pig.
Do they eat exactly the same thing?
Broadly yes: both specialise on ants and termites, licking them up with a long sticky tongue after breaking into the nest with strong foreclaws. The aardvark also eats the fruit of the aardvark cucumber and disperses its seeds; the anteater sticks almost entirely to insects.