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The giant anteater is 182 to 217 cm (5 ft 11 + 1 ⁄ 2 in to 7 ft 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 in) in length, with weights of 33 to 50 kg (73 to 110 lb) for males and 27 to 47 kg (60 to 104 lb) for females. It is recognizable by its elongated snout, bushy tail, long fore claws, and distinctively colored pelage .
Size: Head and body: 6 to 49 inches; tail: 7 to 35 inches. Weight: 40 to 140 pounds. Size relative to a 6-ft man: IUCN Red List Status: ? Vulnerable. LC. NT. VU. EN. CR. EW. EX. Least Concern...
The Giant anteater is one of the two mammal species, not having any teeth, even in adult individuals. Compared to other mammals with similar body size, this anteater possesses the longest tongue, protruding out of its mouth for more than 60 cms (2 ft).
Research has found that giant anteaters can identify the particular species of ant or termite by smell before they rip apart the prey's nest. When feeding, sticky saliva coats the tongue. The 2-foot-long tongue is attached to the sternum and can flick in and out up to 150 times per minute.
While the giant anteater's tongue is about 20 to 24 inches (51 to 61 centimeters) long, the blue whale has the largest tongue of any animal alive today, according to Schwartz. "Even in the category of tongue length in relation to body size, the anteater still doesn't win," he explains.
Physical Description. Giant anteaters are quite distinctive morphologically, they are the largest of the anteater species. The snout is long (up to 45 cm in length) and the skull is streamlined with small eyes and ears. The tail is large and bushy and is nearly as long as the body.
Learn about the amazing adaptations of anteaters and how they use their tongues to catch insects in this fascinating article.
