Aardvarks and Anteaters belong to the same class, Mammalia, and the same phylum, Chordata, which is 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 land. However, they have many features that make a difference between the two.
Aardvarks vs Anteaters
The main difference between Aardvarks and Anteaters is that Aardvarks belong to the family of Orycteropodidae, a mammalian species that live below the ground in burrows. On the other hand, Anteaters belong to the family of Cyclopedidae and Mrymecophagidae a mammalian species that lives on the ground.
Aardvarks weighing 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 hunt mostly in dark times because they have better adaptation in this time.
Anteaters weighing 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 animals, meaning they are highly active throughout the daytime and feel sleepy at 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 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 found in the African continent in savanna-type climate | Aardvarks are nocturnal animals, which means they are active during the night |
| 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 a 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 food support.
Unlike other mammalian species, aardvarks prefer to be active during the night time and sleep during the day time, however, if the night is too cold, then they’ll come out in sunlight also to get 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 throughout 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 they eat. Otherwise, they entirely depend upon termites and ants. They dig a-holes in the ground through their front legs to detect their foods and eat through their long, sticky tongue. Aardvarks use their large ear for detecting predators.
What is Anteaters?
Anteaters are found in the South and Central American regions. Their habitat is mostly found in low swampy savannas-type climates. Anteaters are mostly located around the bank of the river in the depths of humid forest areas.
Like other mammalian species, Anteaters are diurnal animals, which means they are active during the daytime and inactive or sleep at 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, and their life span is 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 these, Giant Anteater is the most popular and common one. Anteaters’ smells are 40 times stronger than that of humans, but they 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 the 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 live below the ground and have a lifespan of 25 years. On the other hand, anteaters live on 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 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 in the least concern list of IUCN and have a habitat in Africa. In contrast, Anteaters live on the ground and are listed in the vulnerable section in IUCN red list.
