Knowra Aardvark Aardvark The aardvark is a nocturnal mammal native to sub-Saharan Africa, with a long snout, powerful digging limbs, and a sticky tongue adapted for eating ants and termites.
Xenarthra : A mammalian superorder that includes armadillos, sloths, and anteaters. Despite its insect-eating lifestyle, the aardvark is not a xenarthran or close relative of anteaters.
Myrmecophagy : The specialized diet of ants and termites, found in several unrelated animal lineages. Aardvarks use powerful claws and a long tongue to exploit concentrated insect colonies.
Ecosystem engineering : The modification of habitats by organisms in ways that affect other species. Aardvark digging changes soil structure and creates shelter used by other animals.
Aardvark burrow : An underground refuge excavated by an aardvark, often with one or more entrances. Burrow structure and placement show how aardvarks shelter from heat and predators.
Tubulidentata : A mammalian order represented today by the aardvark, distinguished by its unusual tubular teeth. The aardvark is the sole living member of this distinctive order.
Olfaction : The sense of smell, produced by detecting airborne chemical molecules. Aardvarks rely heavily on smell to locate insect nests while foraging.
Burrow : A tunnel or chamber excavated by an animal for shelter, breeding, or food storage. Aardvark burrows provide refuge and nesting sites for other African wildlife.
Aardvark foraging : The search for and consumption of ants and termites by aardvarks. Foraging tracks and feeding craters expose the animal's nightly movements.
Tubulidentate teeth : Teeth made of many fused, slender dentine tubes and lacking enamel. These unusual teeth can wear down continuously as the aardvark eats insects and soil.
Tongue : A muscular organ used in feeding, swallowing, and other functions. The aardvark's long, sticky tongue gathers insects from tunnels and nest chambers.
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