crotalus scutulatus ( common names : mojave rattlesnake , mojave green , ) is a highly venomous pit viper species found in the deserts of the southwestern united states and central mexico .

it is perhaps best known for its potent neurotoxic-hemotoxic venom , which is considered the world 's most potent rattlesnake venom .

two subspecies are recognized , including the nominate subspecies described here .

crotalus scutulatus

crotalus scutulatus scutulatus ( kennicott 1861 ) caudisona scutulata kennicott 1861 : 207 crotalus scutulatus — cope 1875 crotalus scutulatus scutulatus — gloyd 1940 crotalus scutulatus — cope 1883 crotalus confluentus kellyi amaral 1929 : 90 ( fide klauber 1930 ) crotalus scutulatus scutulatus — stebbins 1985 : 233 crotalus scutulatus scutulatus — tanner 1985 : 664 crotalus scutulatus scutulatus — conant & collins 1991 : 236 crotalus scutulatus scutulatus — liner 1994 crotalus scutulatus — mcdiarmid , campbell & touré 1999 : 293 crotalus scutulatus scutulatus — tennant & bartlett 2000 : 532 crotalus scutulatus scutulatus — dixon 2000 crotalus scutulatus — hoser 2009 crotalus scutulatus — wallach et al . 2014 : 194 crotalus scutulatus salvini günther 1895 crotalus salvini günther 1895 : 193 crotalus scutulatus salvini — gloyd 1940 crotalus scutulatus salvini — klauber 1952 : 98 crotalus scutulatus salvini — liner 1994 crotalus scutulatus salvini — beaman & hayes 2008
mojave rattlesnakes ( crotalus scutulatus scutulatus ) lacking the acidic subunit dna sequence lack mojave toxin in their venom .
mojave rattlesnakes ( crotalus scutulatus scutulatus ) lacking the acidic subunit dna sequence lack mojave toxin in their venom . - pubmed - ncbi
venomous ! crotalus scutulatus scutulatus and crotalus cerastes laterorepens hybridized in captivity . nomenclature : hoser’s 2009 classification and nomenclature has been rejected as unnecessary and unavailable by wüster & bernils 2011 .
crotalus scutulatus antivenin is derived and purified immunoglobulin fragments obtained from other domestic animals such as sheep previously immunized with crotalus scutulatus ( also known as the mojave rattlesnake [ 2 ] ) .
crotaline fab antivenom reverses platelet dysfunction induced by crotalus scutulatus venom : an in vitro study .
kento furui added the japanese common name
モハベガラガラヘビ
to
crotalus scutulatus kennicott 1861
.
cardwell , michael d . 2006 . crotalus scutulatus scutulatus ( mohave rattlesnake ) . morphology . herpetological review 37 ( 4 ) : 477 - get paper here
strimple , pete 1993 . captive birth of mojave rattlesnakes , crotalus scutulatus scutulatus . litteratura serpentium 13 ( 5 ) : 166 - 168 - get paper here
crotalus scutulatus is restricted to the western edges of the state , from el paso to the big bend .
crotaline fab antivenom reverses platelet dysfunction induced by crotalus scutulatus venom : an in vitro study . - pubmed - ncbi
legal status : in utah , crotalus scutulatus scutulatus is listed as a wildlife species of concern . throughout the remainder of our region , the species is afforded no protected status . more
hardy , d . l . 1983 . envenomation by the mojave rattlesnake ( crotalus scutulatus scutulatus ) in southern arizona , u . s . a . toxicon . 21 : 111–118 .
bush sp , cardwell md . mojave rattlesnake ( crotalus scutulatus scutulatus ) identification . wilderness environ med . 1999 spring . 10 ( 1 ) : 6 - 9 . [ medline ] .
bush , s . p . ; cardwell , m . d . 1999 . mojave rattlesnake ( crotalus scutulatus scutulatus ) identification . wilderness and environmental medicine 10 ( 1 ) : 6 - 9 .
massey , d . j . , et al . 2012 . venom variability and envenoming severity outcomes of the crotalus scutulatus scutulatus ( mojave rattlesnake ) from southern arizona . proteomics 75 : 2576 - 2587 .
strimple , pete 1996 . crotalus scutulatus ( kennicott ) , the mojave rattlesnake . litteratura serpentium 16 ( 2 ) : 36 - 38
powell , r . ; inboden , m . & smith , d . b . 1990 . erstnachweis von hybriden zwischen den klapperschlangen crotalus cerastes laterorepens klauber 1944 und crotalus scutulatus scutulatus ( kennicott 1861 ) . salamandra 26 ( 4 ) : 319 - 320 - get paper here
wilkinson , j . a . , et al . 1991 . distribution and generic variation in venom a and b populations of the mojave rattlesnake ( crotalus scutulatus scutulatus ) in arizona . herpetologica . 47 : 54–68 .
hardy dl . envenomation by the mojave rattlesnake ( crotalus scutulatus scutulatus ) in southern arizona , u . s . a . toxicon . 1983 . 21 ( 1 ) : 111 - 8 . [ medline ] .
according to the three major herpetological societies in the united states ( american society of ichthyologists and herpetologists , herpetologists’ league , and society for the study of amphibians and reptiles ) , the standardized english name is northern mohave rattlesnake and the scientific name is crotalus scutulatus or crotalus scutulatus scutulatus , 1 if you consider our mohaves to be a subspecies distinct from the mexican rattlesnake crotalus scutulatus salvini . according to linguists , the english word mohave can be spelled with either an “h” or a “j . ” 2
glenn jl , straight rc . intergradation of two different venom populations of the mojave rattlesnake ( crotalus scutulatus scutulatus ) in arizona . toxicon . 1989 . 27 ( 4 ) : 411 - 8 . [ medline ] .
scutulatus ) in arizona . toxicon . 1989 ; 27 ( 4 ) : 411 - 8 . . 14 . hardy dl . envenomation by the mojave rattlesnake ( crotalus scutulatus scutulatus ) in southern arizona , u . s . a . toxicon . 1983 ; 21 ( 1 ) : 111 - 8 . . more
murphy , r . w . ; crabtree , c . b . 1988 . genetic identification of a natural hybrid rattlesnake : crotalus scutulatus scutulatus x c . viridis viridis . herpetologica 44 ( 1 ) : 119 - 123 - get paper here
price a h 1982 . crotalus scutulatus ( kennicott ) . mojave rattlesnake . catalogue of american amphibians and reptiles ( 291 : 1 - 2 - get paper here
rael , e . d . ; knight , r . a . ; zepeda , h . 1984 . electrophoretic variants of mojave rattlesnake ( crotalus scutulatus scutulatus ) venoms and migration differences of mojave toxin . toxicon 22 ( 6 ) : 980 - 984
massey dj , calvete jj , sánchez ee , sanz l , richards k , curtis r , boesen k . 2012 . venom variability and envenoming severity outcomes of the crotalus scutulatus scutulatus ( mojave rattlesnake ) from southern arizona . journal of proteomics . urltoken
mrinalini , james j . hicks and wolfgang wüster . 2015 . crotalus scutulatus ( mohave rattlesnake ) maximum size . herpetological review 46 ( 2 ) : 270 - 271
cardwell , m . d . 2013 . behavioral changes by mohave rattlesnakes ( crotalus scutulatus ) in response to drought . unpublished thesis , california state university , sacramento .
table 4 : proteolytic activity inhibition of the c . s . scutulatus venoms by edta .
campbell , j . a . 1979 . crotalus scutulatus ( viperidae ) in jalisco , mexico . southwestern naturalist 24 ( 4 ) : 683 - 714 - get paper here
crotalids : crotalus sp . , sistrurus sp . ( agkistrodon sp . ) .
scutulatus scutulatus type b , found in a narrow range of arizona , lacks mojave toxins and has hemorrhagic activity . the same amounts of these two characteristically different snake venoms , c . more
glenn , j . l . ; straight , r . c . ; wolfe , m . c . ; hardy , d . l . 1983 . geographical variation in crotalus scutulatus scutulatus ( mojave rattlesnake ) venom properties . toxicon 21 ( 1 ) : 119 - 130
ed50 for the crotolus scutulatus snake evenomation is 8 mg antivenin / mg venom [ label ] .
borja , miguel ; gamaliel castañeda , jorge espinosa , edgar neri , alejandro carbajal , herlinda clement , osvaldo garcía , and alejandro alagon 2014 . mojave rattlesnake ( crotalus scutulatus scutulatus ) with type b venom from mexico . copeia 2014 ( 1 ) : 7–13 - get paper here
crotalus adamanteus , the eastern diamondback , is the biggest venomous snake in the americas .
a western diamondback rattlesnake ( crotalus atrox ) . photo by sean bush , md .
* mohave rattlesnake ( c scutulatus ) envenomation is among the most controversial topics in envenomation medicine . more
table 3 : antibody recognition : proteinase and hemorrhagic activities of the c . s . scutulatus venoms .
table 2 : primers used for amplifying metalloproteinase sequences from crotalus s . scutulatus . genomic dna and sequence comparison to other snake venom metalloproteinases ( mp ) . nonconserved nucleotides are indicated in bold .
davis , d . r . & cardwell , m . d . 2017 . crotalus scutulatus ( mohave rattlesnake ) arboreality and climbing behavior . herpetological review 48 ( 3 ) : 670 - 671 .
mojave rattlesnake ( crotalus scutulatus ) . note the diamond pattern fades into bands along the caudal third of the back and the white tail rings are wider than the black . photo by sean bush , md .
massey dj , calvete jj , sánchez ee , sanz l , richards k , curtis r , et al . venom variability and envenoming severity outcomes of the crotalus scutulatus scutulatus ( mojave rattlesnake ) from southern arizona . j proteomics . 2012 may 17 . 75 ( 9 ) : 2576 - 87 . [ medline ] .
fact : mohave rattlesnakes are no more unique than any other rattlesnake in the genus crotalus , which includes all rattlers except the little pigmy rattlesnakes and massasaugas . numerous genetic studies show that they are most closely related to the prairie and western rattlesnakes , crotalus viridis and crotalus oreganus , respectively . 3
salazar , jennifer d . , and carl s . lieb . geographic diet variation of mojave rattlesnake ( crotalus scutulatus ) . diss . bs thesis , university of texas at el paso , el paso , 2003 .
crotalus scutulatus - ( kennicott , 1861 ) - proc . acad . nat . sci . philadelphia , vol . 13 , p . 207 from original description citations for the reptiles and amphibians of north america © ellin beltz
massey dj , calvete jj , sánchez ee , sanz l , richards k , curtis r , boesen k : venom variability and envenoming severity outcomes of the crotalus scutulatus scutulatus ( mojave rattlesnake ) from southern arizona . j proteomics . 2012 , 75 : 2576 - 2587 . 10 . 1016 / j . jprot . 2012 . 02 . 035 .
table 5 : dna sequence homology for different structural domains of the four groups of c . s . scutulatus metalloproteinase genes .
in the united states , crotalus scutulatus is found in the southern portions of california , arizona , new mexico , and texas . there are two subspecies of the mojave rattlesnake , though only one ( c . s . scutulatus ) is found in the u . s . the mojave rattlesnake also has an extensive range in the northern half of mexico .
in a retrospective study of patients bitten chiefly by crotalus atrox and c . s . scutulatus , those patients given only medical treatment suffered less local morbidity than those given a combination of medical and surgical treatment ( hardy 1988 ) .
crotalus scutulatus is viviparous , giving birth to live young in late july or august , often coinciding with the summer monsoons . there may be as many as nine young , measuring up to 25 cm ( 10 in ) in length .
crofab ( crotalidae polyvalent immune fab ( ovine ) ) is a sheep - derived antivenin used for the management of adult and pediatric patients with north american crotalid envenomation [ label ] , which includes the crotalus scutulatus snake ( mojave snake ) .
wooldridge bj , pineda g , banuelas - ornelas jj , dagda rk , gasanov se , rael ed , lieb cs : mojave rattlesnakes ( crotalus scutulatus scutulatus ) lacking the acidic subunit dna sequence lack mojave toxin in their venom . comp biochem physiol b . 2001 , 130 : 169 - 179 . 10 . 1016 / s1096 - 4959 ( 01 ) 00422 - 5 .
carstairs sd , kreshak aa , tanen da . crotaline fab antivenom reverses platelet dysfunction induced by crotalus scutulatus venom : an in vitro study . acad emerg med . 2013 may . 20 ( 5 ) : 522 - 5 . [ medline ] .
ruben k . dagda , sardar e . gasanov , boris zhang , william welch , eppie d . rael . erratum to : molecular models of the mojave rattlesnake ( crotalus scutulatus scutulatus ) venom metalloproteinases reveal a structural basis for differences in hemorrhagic activities , journal of biological physics , 2014 , 217 - 218 , doi : 10 . 1007 / s10867 - 014 - 9347 - y
peña - peniche , a . , d . lazcano , i . ruvalcaba - ortega , and l . d . wilson . 2017 . crotalus scutulatus ( kennicot , 1861 ) . diet . mesoamerican herpetology 4 ( 3 ) : 644–648 - get paper here
antivenom indications : rattlesnakes ( in particluar crotalus atrox , c . adamanteus , c . viridis , c . oreganus , c . horridus , c . scutulatus ) ( gold et al 2002 , 2004 ; norris 2004 , warrell 2010 ) systemic signs of envenoming :
patients sustaining rattlesnake envenomation often develop thrombocytopenia , the etiology of which is not clear . laboratory studies have demonstrated that venom from several species , including the mojave rattlesnake ( crotalus scutulatus scutulatus ) , can inhibit platelet aggregation . in humans , administration of crotaline fab antivenom has been shown to result in transient improvement of platelet levels ; however , it is not known whether platelet aggregation also improves after antivenom administration .
envenomation by some rattlesnakes , such as the mojave rattlesnake ( formerly mohave rattlesnake ) ( crotalus scutulatus ) , may cause a different clinical presentation than that generally encountered after most rattlesnake bites . in addition , other species , such as the southern pacific rattlesnake crotalus oreganus helleri , ( formerly crotalus viridis helleri ) , may cause signs and symptoms consistent with typical rattlesnake envenomation combined with signs and symptoms similar to mojave rattlesnake envenomation . [ 1 ] ( see rattlesnake envenomation for a more complete discussion of typical rattlesnake envenomation . )
the objective was to determine the effect of c . scutulatus venom on platelet aggregation in vitro in the presence and absence of crotaline fab antivenom .
the scutulatus is classified as least concern . does not qualify for a more at risk category . widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category .
cardwell , m . d . , et al . 2013 . type specimen of crotalus scutulatus ( chordata : reptilia : squamata : viperidae ) re - examined , with new evidence after more than a century of confusion . proceedings of the biological society of washington . 126 : 11–16 .
carstairs sd , kreshak aa , tanen da : crotaline fab antivenom reverses platelet dysfunction induced by crotalus scutulatus venom : an in vitro study . acad emerg med . 2013 may ; 20 ( 5 ) : 522 - 5 . doi : 10 . 1111 / acem . 12135 . [ pubmed : 23672368 ]
fact : like other rattlesnakes , mohaves have been evolving for millions of years . genetic evidence strongly suggests that mohave rattlesnakes diverged from an ancestor shared with crotalus viridis and crotalus oreganus before those lineages separated from one another between 26 . 4 and 3 . 9 million years ago . 3
after bites of the most dangerous rattelsnakes ( crotalus atrox , c . adamanteus , c . viridis , c . oreganus , c . horridus , c . scutulatus ) , antivenom should be given early , even before systemic envenoming has become obvious ( warrell 2010 ) . see also discussion kitchens and eskin 2008 .
t . chen and e . d . rael , “purification of m5 , a fibrinolytic proteinase from crotalus molossus molossus venom that attacks complement , ”
certainly not the biggest , nor the most widely ranging or populous of the rattlesnakes , the mojave rattler ( crotalus scutulatus ) has the most toxic venom and a reputation as extremely aggressive toward humans . physically similar to the western diamondback , the mojave rattler typically shades toward green , sparking the common name , mojave greens .
winchell , s . 2007 . klapperschlangen ! die gattung crotalus . reptilia ( münster ) 12 ( 66 ) : 18 - 25 - get paper here
the third most dangerous rattlesnake in north america , the timber rattlesnake ( crotalus horridus ) lives in the densely populated northeastern area of the united states .
wang ym , parmelee j , guo yw , tsai ih : absence of phospholipase a2 , in most crotalus horridus venom due to translational blockage comparison with crotalus horridus atricaudatus venom . toxicon . 2010 , 56 : 93 - 100 . 10 . 1016 / j . toxicon . 2010 . 03 . 015 .
the myth that mohave rattlesnakes have no scientific history and no “type specimen” ( the preserved animal used for the original description of a species ) has been fueled by an error in a publication in 1900 , 4 causing laurence klauber to correctly point out in 1956 that the type specimen designated for c rotalus scutulatus was not the correct species . 5 that confusion has recently and conclusively been resolved : the type specimen for crotalus scutulatus resides in the preserved collection of the academy of natural sciences of philadelphia as specimen number ansp 7069 . 6
calvete jj , sanz l , cid p , de la torre p , flores - díaz m , santos mcd , borges a , bremo a , angulo y , lomonte b , alape - girón a , gutiérrez jm : snake venomics of the central american rattlesnake crotalus simus and the south american crotalus durissus complex points to neurotoxicity as an adaptive paedomorphic trend along crotalus dispersal in south america . j proteome res . 2010 , 9 : 528 - 544 . 10 . 1021 / pr9008749 .
a red diamond rattlesnake ( crotalus ruber ) . the postocular light stripe extends above the angle of the mouth in mojave rattlesnakes . photo by sean bush , md .
j . g . soto , j . c . perez , m . m . lopez et al . , “comparative enzymatic study of hplc - fractionated crotalus venoms , ”
means db : effects of rattlesnake roundups on the eastern diamondback rattlesnake ( crotalus adamanteus ) . herpetol conserv biol . 2009 , 4 ( 2 ) : 132 - 141 .
in a retrospective study of patients who were primarily bitten by crotalus atrox and c . s . scutulatus , 64 had swelling that extended as far as the axilla or inguinal region . none of these patients required surgical intervention . none of them developed symptoms that could have been attributed to compartment syndrome . all patients regained full functionality of the affected limb ( hardy 1991 ) .
mackessy sp : fibrinogenolytic proteases from the venoms of juvenile and adult northern pacific rattlesnakes ( crotalus viridis oreganus ) . comp biochem physiol b . 1993 , 106 : 181 - 189 .
mackessy sp : venom ontogeny in the pacific rattlesnakes crotalus viridis helleri and c . v . oreganus . copeia . 1988 , 1988 : 92 - 101 . 10 . 2307 / 1445927 .
brown ws : biology , status , and management of the timber rattlesnake ( crotalus horridus ) : a guide for conservation . soc study amphibians reptiles cir . 1993 , 22 : 78 -
the mojave rattlesnake ( crotalus scutulatus ) is widely distributed in western north america , occurring from the mojave desert through the sonoran and chihuahuan deserts to central mexico ( stebbins , 1985 ) . it can be distinguished from other rattlesnake species by features of color pattern and scalation , and especially by the presence of enlarged plates ( scutes ) on the head between the eyes ( degenhardt , et al . 1996 ) .
the enzymatic and hemorrhagic activities of fourteen c . s . scutulatus venoms are shown in table 3 . for comparative purposes , we also included data obtained from venoms from c . atrox ( call - 1 ) and c . m . molossus ( cmm88 ) as positive controls for both proteolytic and hemorrhagic activities [ 26 , 27 ] . we found that c . s . scutulatus venoms from css28 , css31 , and css36 ( collected from el paso , tx , usa ) showed potent hemorrhagic activity . venom from three other c . s . scutulatus css68 , css71 , and css74 collected in maricopa county , az , usa , also induced hemorrhage to the same extent as venom derived from c . atrox . the other eight c . s . scutulatus venoms ( collected from various geographic locations including maricopa county , az , usa ) did not cause hemorrhage ( table 3 ) .
french , w . j . , et al . 2004 . mojave toxin in venom of crotalus helleri ( southern pacific rattlesnake ) : molecular and geographic characterization . toxicon . 44 : 781–791 .
e . d . rael , m . martinez , and o . molina , “isolation of a fibrinolytic protease , m4 , from venom of crotalus molossus molossus ( northern blacktail rattlesnake ) , ”
hoser , r . 2009 . a reclassification of the rattlesnakes ; species formerly exclusively referred to the genera crotalus and sistrurus . australasian j . herpetol . 3 : 1 - 21 - get paper here
similar to and easily confused with the western diamond - backed rattlesnake - crotalus atrox , though there is little range overlap in california . compare the western diamond - backed rattlesnake to the northern mohave rattlesnake
straight rc , glenn jl : isolation and characterization of basic phospholipase ( pla2 ) and acidic subunits of canebrake toxin from crotalus horridus atricaudatus venom using hplc . toxicon . 1989 , 27 : 80 -
of ctenophorus scutulatus that i managed to dig up all showed quite colorful lizards , not dull gray ones like this . apparently it is one of many lizard species that attain a dark coloration when their body temperatures are lower . more
crotaline fab antivenom improved platelet aggregation in an in vitro model of platelet dysfunction induced by venom from c . scutulatus . it is unclear at this time whether this improvement in platelet dysfunction translates into improved clinical outcomes in envenomated patients .
cardwell , michael d . ; steve w . gotte , roy w . mcdiarmid , ned gilmore , and james a . poindexter 2013 . type specimens of crotalus scutulatus ( chordata : reptilia : squamata : viperidae ) re - examined , with new evidence after more than a century of confusion . proceedings of the biological society of washington mar 2013 , vol . 126 , no . 1 : 11 - 16 . - get paper here
glenn jl , straight rc , wolf tb : regional variation in the presence of canebrake toxin in crotalus horridus venom . comp biochem physiol c . 1994 , 107 ( 3 ) : 337 - 346 .
mackessy sp : kallikrein - like and thrombin - like proteases from the venoms of juvenile and adult northern pacific rattlesnakes ( crotalus viridis oreganus ) . j nat toxins . 1993 , 2 : 223 - 239 .
patients sustaining rattlesnake envenomation often develop thrombocytopenia , the etiology of which is not clear . it has been shown thatcrotaline fab antivenom improved platelet aggregation in an in vitro model of platelet dysfunction induced by venom from c . scutulatus [ 1 ] .
figure 1 : alignment of the four groups ( gp1 , gp2 , gp3 , and gp4 ) of c . s . scutulatus metalloproteinase genomic dna sequences . assignment of exon and intron ( underlined ) regions was made by comparing metalloproteinase cdna sequences from c . atrox [ 7 ] and a . contortrix [ 12 , 30 ] with metalloproteinase genomic dna sequences from c . s . scutulatus obtained in this study . differences among the dna sequences are denoted by an asterisk ( * ) .
neurological symptoms : if the patient is suspected of having been bitten by the mojave rattlesnake ( crotalus scutulatus ) , the patient may develop neurological symptoms including respiratory obstruction or failure which must be treated as an immediate emergency . the neurologic symptoms , as others , should be improved by antivenom . if breathing becomes impaired , respiratory assistance may be necessary , and intubation and ventilation may be appropriate adjuncts in certain clinical settings . secretions may become copious , necessitating suctioning .
amaral , a . do 1929 . studies of nearctic ophidia v . on crotalus confluentus say , 1823 , and its allied forms . bull . antivenin inst . amer . 2 ( 4 ) : 86 - 97
j . b . bjarnason and a . t . tu , “hemorrhagic toxins from western diamondback rattlesnake ( crotalus atrox ) venom : isolation and characterization of five toxins and the role of zinc in hemorrhagic toxin , ”
in north america , local signs of envenoming , particularly swelling , are a reliable parameter of possible systemic envenoming in most crotalid bites . important exceptions are some populations of crotalus scutulatus (
type a
) , c . mitchelli , c . lepidus and c . tigris , which can cause systemic envenoming without significant local effects ( minton 1987a ) . c . adamanteus can cause incoagulability of the blood without significant local findings ( kitchens and van mierop 1983 ) .
snake venoms generally show sequence and quantitative variation within and between species , but some rattlesnakes have undergone exceptionally rapid , dramatic shifts in the composition , lethality , and pharmacological effects of their venoms . such shifts have occurred within species , most notably in mojave ( crotalus scutulatus ) , south american ( c . durissus ) , and timber ( c . horridus ) rattlesnakes , resulting in some populations with extremely potent , neurotoxic venoms without the hemorrhagic effects typical of rattlesnake bites .
wüster , w . & bérnils , r . s . 2011 . on the generic classification of the rattlesnakes , with special reference to the neotropical crotalus durissus complex ( squamata : viperidae ) . zoologia 28 ( 4 ) : 417–419
the following references are recommended for further indepth reading . this material includes case histories , guidelines , and recent findings in crotalus literature . these should be read only after treatment has begun , and the patient is in stable status .
r . a . martinez , s . y . huang , and j . c . perez , “antigenic relationships of fractionated western diamondback rattlesnake ( crotalus atrox ) hemorrhagic toxins and other rattlesnake venoms as indicated by monoclonal antibodies , ”
the mojave rattlesnake ( crotalus scutulatus ) is one of the most lethal rattlers of north america . adults average 2 - 4 feet in length from head to tail ( shaw - cambell 1974 ) . it has a diamond shaped pattern that dissolves into an offset striped pattern towards the tail . the offset stripe pattern helps set it apart from the very similar diamond back . the color of the mojave rattlesnake varies from a greenish gray to a yellowish brown . these color variations provide camouflage in certain terrain .
this one is interesting . the large scales , relatively thick light tail bands , and ( only partially visible ) light stripe behind the eye all point to c . scutulatus . but the multiple small scales between the supraoculars , and the tail - most tail band being black are generally characteristics of c . atrox . it is possible i suppose that it is a hybrid , but i think it ' s much more likely that it ' s a somewhat aberrant c . scutulatus . several people have told me that they agree with this id .
klauber , l . m . 1930 . new and renamed subspecies of crotalus confluentus say , with remarks on related species . trans . san diego soc . nat . hist . 6 ( 3 ) : 95 - 144 - get paper here
o . zhou , b . j . smith , and m . h . grossman , “molecular cloning and expression of catrocollastatin , a snake - venom protein from crotalus atrox ( western diamondback rattlesnake ) which inhibits platelet adhesion to collagen , ”
judging by their appearance , you’d think both rattlesnakes were of the same species . you’d be right , being the clever person you are . they are in fact part of the same subspecies of southern pacific rattlesnake ( crotalus oreganus helleri ) .
rokyta dr , lemmon ar , margres mj , aronow k : the venom - gland transcriptome of the eastern diamondback rattlesnake crotalus adamanteus . bmc genomics . 2012 , 13 : 312 - 10 . 1186 / 1471 - 2164 - 13 - 312 .
m . anaya , e . d . rael , c . s . lieb , j . c . perez , and r . j . salo , “antibody detection of venom protein variation within a population of prairie rattlesnake crotalus v . viridis , ”
mackessy sp : evolutionary trends in venom composition in the western rattlesnakes ( crotalus viridis sensu lato ) : toxicity vs . tenderizers . toxicon . 2010 , 55 : 1463 - 1474 . 10 . 1016 / j . toxicon . 2010 . 02 . 028 .
nor are there any clinical trial results available on the efficacy of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors . c . s . scutulatus venom acts at the presynaptic level of neuromuscular transmission ( gopalakrishnakone et al . 1980 ) , while micrurus fulvius venom acts post - synaptically to depolarise the muscle fibre membrane ( brazil 1990 ) .
mackessy sp , williams k , ashton kg : ontogenetic variation in venom composition and diet of crotalus oreganus concolor a case of venom paedomorphosis ? . copeia . 2003 , 2003 ( 4 ) : 769 - 782 . 10 . 1643 / ha03 - 037 . 1 .
a majority of the fauna found in the mojave desert also extends into the sonoran or great basin deserts as well . however , the following avifauna and herpetofauna are characteristic of the mojave region in particular : leconte’s thrasher ( toxostoma lecontei ) , banded gecko ( coleonyx variegatus ) , desert iguana ( dipsosaurus dorsalis ) , chuckwalla ( sauromalus obesus ) , and regal horned lizard ( phrynosoma solare ) . snake species include the desert rosy boa ( lichanura trivirigata gracia ) , mojave patchnose snake ( salvadora hexalepis mojavensis ) , and mojave rattlesnake ( crotalus scutulatus ) ( brown 1994 ) .
e . d . rael , j . z . rivas , t . chen , n . maddux , e . huizar , and c . s . lieb , “differences in fibrinolysis and complement inactivation by venom from different northern blacktailed rattlesnakes ( crotalus molossus molossus ) , ”
l . a . hite , j . d . shannon , j . b . bjarnason , and j . w . fox , “sequence of a cdna clone encoding the zinc metalloproteinase hemorrhagic toxin e from crotalus atrox : evidence for signal , zymogen , and disintegrin - like structures , ”
french wj , hayes wk , bush sp , cardwell md , bader jo , rael ed . mojave toxin in venom of crotalus helleri ( southern pacific rattlesnake ) : molecular and geographic characterization . toxicon . 2004 dec 1 . 44 ( 7 ) : 781 - 91 . [ medline ] .
there have been no clinical trials on the efficacy of antivenom in the treatment of micrurus fulvius and c . s . scutulatus (
type a
) bites . empirical data on the course of envenoming following micrurus bites give the impression that established symptoms of paralysis are not influenced by antivenom treatment ( kitchens and van mierop 1987 ) . likewise , there is no significant effect of the polyvalent wyeth anti - crotalid antivenom on the neurotoxic course of envenoming following c . s . scutulatus bites ( glenn and straight 1978 ) . this is not surprising , as neither
type a
venom nor mojave toxin is included in the manufacturing process of the polyvalent wyeth anti - crotalid antivenom .
w . j . french , w . k . hayes , s . p . bush , m . d . cardwell , j . o . bader , and e . d . rael , “mojave toxin in venom of crotalus helleri ( southern pacific rattlesnake ) : molecular and geographic characterization , ”
o . molina , r . k . seriel , m . martinez , m . l . sierra , a . varela - ramirez , and e . d . rael , “isolation of two hemorrhagic toxins from crotalus basiliscus basiliscus ( mexican west coast rattlesnake ) venom and their effect on blood clotting and complement , ”
french wj , hayes wk , bush sp , cardwell md , bader jo , rael ed : mojave toxin in venom of crotalus helleri ( southern pacific rattlesnake ) molecular and geographic characterization . toxicon . 2004 , 44 : 781 - 791 . 10 . 1016 / j . toxicon . 2004 . 08 . 008 .
the southern pacific rattlesnake ( crotalus oreganus helleri ) is considered to be one of the most medically significant rattlesnakes in the usa . researchers from the university of queensland analyzed the venoms produced by two separate populations of this species . the populations studied are located in southern california , within a two hour’s drive from one another .
we identified four groups of c . s . scutulatus rattlesnake venoms with each having distinct biochemical profiles associated with metalloproteinase activity . rattlesnakes from each venom group had unique genomic nucleotide dna sequences for the mature metalloproteinase domain and noncoding regions . these findings support the genomic basis underlying diversity in venom metalloproteinase activities . this is the first report on genomic dna sequences of snake venom metalloproteinases .
certain populations of mojave rattlesnakes , c . scutulatus and the neo - tropical rattlesnake , c . durissus , have long been known to contain neurotoxins . if i recall correctly from my days at the bronx zoo , bites from these species were treated with a mix of 2 - 3 antivenins ( i’ve not checked current treatment recommendations ; please post below if you need further information ) .
douglas , m . e . , et al . 2002 . phylogeography of the western rattlesnake ( crotalus viridis ) complex , with emphasis on the colorado plateau . pp . 11–50 in : g . w . schuett , et al . ( eds . ) , biology of the vipers . eagle mountain publishing , eagle mountain , utah .
actually the third most dangerous rattlesnake in north america , the timber rattlesnake ( crotalus horridus ) lives in the densely populated northeastern area of the united states . the snake , gracing the famous gadsden flag ( don’t tread on me ) , certainly has spawned more fear and respect from settlers than any other through the history of the united states .
e entry crotalus admanteus ) . although defibrinogenation , caused by the direct fibrinogen - coagulating activity of the venom , generally has a benign course , there is nonetheless a risk of spontaneous haemorrhage with extensive loss of blood or focal bleeding ( e . g . intracranial ; kitchens and eskin 2008 ) as long as the haemostatic defect is not corrected
rokyta dr , wray kp , lemmon ar , lemmon em , caudle sb : a high - throughput venom - gland transcriptome for the eastern diamondback rattlesnake crotalus adamanteus and evidence for pervasive positive selection across toxin classes . toxicon . 2011 , 57 : 657 - 671 . 10 . 1016 / j . toxicon . 2011 . 01 . 008 .
douglas me , douglas mr , schuett gw , porras lw : evolution of rattlesnakes ( viperidae ; crotalus ) in the warm deserts of western north america shaped by neogene vicariance and quaternary climate change . mol ecol . 2006 , 15 : 3353 - 3374 . 10 . 1111 / j . 1365 - 294x . 2006 . 03007 . x .
calvete jj , pérez a , lomonte b , sánchez ee , sanz l : snake venomics of crotalus tigris : the minimalist toxin arsenal of the deadliest neartic rattlesnake venom . evolutionary clues for generating a pan - specific antivenom against crotalid type ii venoms . j proteome res . 2012 , 11 : 1382 - 1390 . 10 . 1021 / pr201021d .
valencia - hernández , ángel alberto ; irene goyenechea < br / > & jesús martín castillo - cerón 2007 . notes on scutellation , length , and distribution of rattlesnakes ( serpentes : viperidade : crotalus ) in the state of hidalgo , mexico . acta zoológica mexicana ( n . s . ) 23 ( 3 ) : 29 - 33 - get paper here
crotalus atrox may not be quite as massive as its eastern relative , but it makes up for that in numerous ways . the brownish “base” with cream outlines around the classic diamond shape and a quick to respond rattle announce its presence . the western diamondback has a massive range , extending well into mexico and stretching from the southeast to california and approximately halfway to canada .
it really doesn’t take much to make this list , if you’re a venomous snake in the united states . there are 21 species listed by the society for the study of amphibians and reptiles . nearly two thirds of the venomous snakes are true rattlesnakes ( crotalus ) along with one , sistrurus miliarius carrying the common name , pygmy rattlesnake , to bring the total to 14 .
with one exception , neurological manifestations following north american crotalid bites are limited to the signs and symptoms discussed above . in addition to local swelling and haemostatic defects , c . s . scutulatus (
type a
) bites can also cause neurological symptoms of envenoming , including paralysis . however , there are very few reports of obvious neurotoxic symptoms of envenoming following bites from this geographical variant of a single subspecies ( minton 1990a ) .
the mojave rattlesnake may be difficult to distinguish from the western diamondback rattlesnake ( crotalus atrox ) , which inhabits an overlapping geographical range . some mojave rattlesnakes are greenish , but they may have a similar color as western diamondbacks . in the mojave rattlesnake , the diamond pattern fades into bands along the caudal third of the back , whereas the diamonds continue to the tail in the western diamondback .
crotalus adamanteus , the eastern diamondback , is the biggest venomous snake in the americas , and may be the biggest in the world . with recorded lengths nearing eight feet and weights in excess of 35 pounds , this is a significant creature and is quite dangerous to humans with a fatality rate of 10 - 20 % ( although rates were claimed as high as 30 % at one time ) .
boldrini - frança j , rodrigues rs , fonseca fpp , menaldo dl , ferreira fb , henrique - silva f , soares am , hamaguchi a , rodrigues vm , otaviano ar , homsi - brandeburgo mi : crotalus durissus collilineatus venom gland transcriptome : analysis of gene expression profile . biochimie . 2009 , 91 : 586 - 595 . 10 . 1016 / j . biochi . 2009 . 02 . 001 .
this is most common in victims of russell ' s viper , tropical rattlesnake ( crotalus durissus subspecies ) and some species of bothrops . patients bitten by russell ' s vipers may become oliguric within a few hours of the bite . loin pain and tenderness may be experienced within the first 24 hours and , in 3 or 4 days , the patient may become irritable and hypertensive and may convulse and become comatose with evidence of metabolic acidosis .
pit vipers are the largest group of venomous snakes in the united states and are involved in an estimated 150 , 000 bites annually of dogs and cats . 1 approximately 99 % of all venomous snake bites in the united states are inflicted by pit vipers . in north america , members of the family crotalidae belong to three genera : the rattlesnakes ( crotalus and sistrurus spp . ) and the copperheads and cottonmouth water moccasins ( agkistrodon spp . ) .
blood was obtained from four healthy male adult volunteers not currently using aspirin , nonsteroidal anti - inflammatory drugs , or other platelet - inhibiting agents . c . scutulatus venom from a single snake with known type b ( hemorrhagic ) activity was obtained from the national natural toxins research center . measurement of platelet aggregation by an aggregometer was performed using five standard concentrations of epinephrine ( a known platelet aggregator ) on platelet - rich plasma over time , and a mean area under the curve ( auc ) was calculated . five different sample groups were measured : 1 ) blood alone , 2 ) blood + c . scutulatus venom ( 0 . 3 mg / ml ) , 3 ) blood + crotaline fab antivenom ( 100 mg / ml ) , 4 ) blood + venom + antivenom ( 100 mg / ml ) , and 5 ) blood + venom + antivenom ( 4 mg / ml ) . standard errors of the mean ( sem ) were calculated for each group , and paired t - tests were used to measure differences between groups .
kartik sunagara , eivind a . b . undheimc , holger scheibd , eric c . k . grene , chip cochrane , carl e . persone , ivan koludarov c , wayne kelln e , william k . hayes e , glenn f . king d , agosthino antunesa , bryan grieg fry . intraspecific venom variation in the medically significant southern pacific rattlesnake ( crotalus oreganus helleri ) : biodiscovery , clinical and evolutionary implications . 2014 . journal of proteomics . urltoken
boldrini - frança j , corrêa - netto c , silva mms , rodrigues rs , torre pdl , pérez a , soares am , zingali rb , nogueira ra , rodrigues vm , sanz l , calvete jj : snake venomics and antivenomics of crotalus durissus subspecies from brazil : assessment of geographic variation and its implication on snakebite management . j proteomics . 2010 , 73 : 1758 - 1776 . 10 . 1016 / j . jprot . 2010 . 06 . 001 .
for example , the venom of timber rattlesnakes ( crotalus horridus ) living in new england is more effective against the most common local prey animal ( gray squirrels , i believe ) than against other creatures . further south , cottontail rabbits predominate in the diet , and the venom’s chemical make - up reflects this . timber rattlesnakes living on st . catherine’s island off georgia ( formerly used by the bronx zoo to breed endangered species ) seem to produce especially virulent venom , at least where dogs are concerned .
the mojave rattlesnake can easily be mistaken for the western diamondback rattlesnake ( crotalus atrox ) , which inhabits an overlapping range . they both have well - defined light - edged diamonds down the middle of their backs . the diamond pattern fades towards the last third of the mojave rattlesnake , whereas the diamonds continue to the tail in the western diamondback . the tail of the mojave has contrasting light and dark rings . the white rings are much wider than the black rings , while the diamondbacks have thick black rings .
neurotoxic symptoms : in the united states one species of rattlesnake , the mojave rattlesnake ( crotalus scutalatus ) , is known to produce a clinical picture with predominantly neurotoxic symptoms . the onset and progression of the symptoms may be rapid and subtle . in addition , they are more rapidly reversed in their early stages than when fully developed . it may be necessary to wake the patient and perform a brief neurologic check every hour or so to assure that breathing and other vital functions are not impaired . carefully note the progression of respiratory paralysis which may be present . be prepared to intubate and ventilate as necessary .
in a prospective study in which the majority of patients had been bitten by c . atrox and a smaller number by c . s . scutulatus , c . m . molossus and c . cerastes ( snakes identified according to geographical criteria ) , patients were investigated using non - invasive angiological methods ( pulse volume amplitude , blood pressure , skin temperature ) . in only one case was a reduced pulse volume amplitude recorded . this patient also had a decrease in blood pressure and the skin temperature of the bitten extremity . on angiography , thrombosis of the popliteal artery and the deep femoral artery was seen . the patient had applied a tourniquet following the bite , which may have caused the thrombosis . the thrombus was successfully removed using a fogarty catheter ( curry et al . 1985 ) .
6 h . the clotting time test is a simple means to regulate the antivenom dose . the initial dose should be repeated if the blood is still not coagulable 6 h after the first dose ( warrell 1990b ) . treatment of the haemostatic defect with blood product replacement should only be carried out if it is clearly indicated , i . e . there is already bleeding or there is an immediate risk of critical bleeding . in all other cases administration of antivenom should be a sufficiently effective and quick means of correcting the haemostatic defect ( burgess and dart 1991 ) . fabav has been evaluated in two clinical trial ( dart et al 1997 , 2001 ) . venom - induced abnormalities of the coagulation was reversible following antivenom treatment with recurrences as an important problem ( gold et al 2004 ) . see clinical entry ' crotalus sp . '
a thorough analysis of the dna nucleotide sequence showed that the fourteen metalloproteinase genomic dna sequences exhibited a perfect correlation with the biochemical classification of the rattlesnake venoms . the genomic dna sequences from css28 , css31 , css36 , and css68 were classified in group one ( gp1 ) , whereas genomic dna sequences belonging to css61 , css62 , and css64 were classified into group two ( gp2 ) . the genomic dna sequences belonging to css65 , css66 , css67 , css69 , and css75 were categorized into group three ( gp3 ) , whereas genomic dna sequences belonging to css71 and css74 were classified in group four ( gp4 ) ( figure 1 ) . this classification is identical to the classification that was based on the biochemical profiles of the fourteen rattlesnake venoms pointing to the existence of a genetic basis that gives rise to intra - species variation in metalloproteinase - associated activities in c . s . scutulatus . interestingly , the genomic dna sequence belonging to gp2 differed the most compared to the other three groups in that it contained a longer intron sequence ( table 5 ) .
all of the nucleotide sequences contained similar structural domains including a conserved “cysteine switch” sequence [ 34 ] located within the zymogen region , an n - terminal region of the proteinase domain , a zn 2 + - binding domain , and a spacer domain located between the proteinase and disintegrin domains . the homology among the genomic dna metalloproteinase sequences was greater than 95 % for the zymogen region ( nucleotides 1–82 ) , 100 % for the zinc - binding domain ( table 5 ) , and greater than 98 % for the spacer region ( nucleotides 1084 to 1147 ) . the dna sequence homology for the proteinase domain across all 14 c . s . scutulatus genomic metalloproteinase genes , excluding the intron ( nucleotides 83 to 474 and 909 to 1083 ) , was close to 89 % , and the sequence identity for the entire gene was at least 84 . 5 % homologous among the four groups of metalloproteinase genes ( table 5 ) . however , the sequence homology within the intron region among the fourteen snakes ( nucleotides 476 to 908 ) was highly variable ( ~ 67 % homology for some rattlesnakes , table 5 ) suggesting that differences in the splicing of introns and fusion of exons among the four different groups of rattlesnake venoms may contribute to variations in metalloproteinase activities as shown in table 3 .
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justification : listed as least concern in view of its wide distribution , presumed large population , and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category .
the species ' range extends from southern california , southern nevada , and southwestern utah south through arizona ( lowe et al . 1986 ) , southern new mexico ( degenhardt et al . 1996 ) , western texas ( tennant 1984 ) in the united states , and central mexico to near the south end of the mexican plateau in puebla and adjacent veracruz ( stebbins 2003 , campbell and lamar 2004 ) . its elevational range extends from sea level to around 2 , 530 m asl ( 8 , 300 feet ) ( stebbins 2003 ) ; above 1 , 800 m asl at the southern end of the range ( campbell and lamar 2004 ) .
this species is represented by a large number of occurrences ( subpopulations ) . on a range - wide scale , campbell and lamar ( 2004 ) mapped hundreds of collection sites . the adult population size is unknown but presumably exceeds 100 , 000 . this snake is often locally common ( lowe et al . 1986 ) . its extent of occurrence , area of occupancy , number of subpopulations , and population size are probably relatively stable .
mendoza - quijano , f . & hammerson , g . a . 2007 .
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uetz , p . & jirí hosek ( eds . ) , the reptile database , ( http : / / www . reptile - database . org )
banks , r . c . , r . w . mcdiarmid , and a . l . gardner
checklist of vertebrates of the united states , the u . s . territories , and canada
flores - villela , oscar / mccoy , c . j . , ed .
mcdiarmid , roy w . , jonathan a . campbell , and t ' shaka a . touré
snake species of the world : a taxonomic and geographic reference , vol . 1
disclaimer : itis taxonomy is based on the latest scientific consensus available , and is provided as a general reference source for interested parties . however , it is not a legal authority for statutory or regulatory purposes . while every effort has been made to provide the most reliable and up - to - date information available , ultimate legal requirements with respect to species are contained in provisions of treaties to which the united states is a party , wildlife statutes , regulations , and any applicable notices that have been published in the federal register . for further information on u . s . legal requirements with respect to protected taxa , please contact the u . s . fish and wildlife service .
home » resources » categories and criteria » 2001 iucn red list categories and criteria version 3 . 1
see below for the rules and requirements outlined in the iucn red list categories and criteria . version 3 . 1 ( second edition ) . for translations of this document into other languages , click here .
the iucn red list categories and criteria are intended to be an easily and widely understood system for classifying species at high risk of global extinction . the general aim of the system is to provide an explicit , objective framework for the classification of the broadest range of species according to their extinction risk . however , while the red list may focus attention on those taxa at the highest risk , it is not the sole means of setting priorities for conservation measures for their protection .
extensive consultation and testing in the development of the system strongly suggest that it is robust across most organisms . however , it should be noted that although the system places species into the threatened categories with a high degree of consistency , the criteria do not take into account the life histories of every species . hence , in certain individual cases , the risk of extinction may be under - or over - estimated .
before 1994 the more subjective threatened species categories used in iucn red data books and red lists had been in place , with some modification , for almost 30 years . although the need to revise the categories had long been recognized ( fitter and fitter 1987 ) , the current phase of development only began in 1989 following a request from the iucn species survival commission ( ssc ) steering committee to develop a more objective approach . the iucn council adopted the new red list system in 1994 .
to give people using threatened species lists a better understanding of how individual species were classified .
since their adoption by iucn council in 1994 , the iucn red list categories have become widely recognized internationally , and they are now used in a range of publications and listings produced by iucn , as well as by numerous governmental and non - governmental organizations . such broad and extensive use revealed the need for a number of improvements , and ssc was mandated by the 1996 world conservation congress ( wcc res . 1 . 4 ) to conduct a review of the system ( iucn 1996 ) . this document presents the revisions accepted by the iucn council .
the proposals presented in this document result from a continuing process of drafting , consultation and validation . the production of a large number of draft proposals has led to some confusion , especially as each draft has been used for classifying some set of species for conservation purposes . to clarify matters , and to open the way for modifications as and when they become necessary , a system for version numbering has been adopted as follows :
version 1 . 0 : mace and lande ( 1991 ) the first paper discussing a new basis for the categories , and presenting numerical criteria especially relevant for large vertebrates .
version 2 . 0 : mace et al . ( 1992 ) a major revision of version 1 . 0 , including numerical criteria appropriate to all organisms and introducing the non - threatened categories .
version 2 . 1 : iucn ( 1993 ) following an extensive consultation process within ssc , a number of changes were made to the details of the criteria , and fuller explanation of basic principles was included . a more explicit structure clarified the significance of the non - threatened categories .


anteater is a common name for the four extant mammal species of the suborder vermilingua ( meaning " worm tongue " ) commonly known for eating ants and termites .

the individual species have other names in english and other languages .

together with the sloths , they are within the order pilosa .

the name " anteater " is also colloquially applied to the unrelated aardvark , numbat , echidnas , pangolins and some members of the oecobiidae .

extant species are the giant anteater myrmecophaga tridactyla , about 1.8 m ( 5 ft 11 in ) long including the tail ; the silky anteater cyclopes didactylus , about 35 cm ( 14 in ) long ; the southern tamandua or collared anteater tamandua tetradactyla , about 1.2 m ( 3 ft 11 in ) long ; and the northern tamandua tamandua mexicana of similar dimensions .

anteater

learn about the silky anteater ( cyclopes didactylus ) , the smallest anteater species .
online anteater . 2001 . giant anteater information , picture , links and more . online anteater . retrieved october 29 , 2007 .
there are three different species of anteater : the aardvark , the giant anteater and the pangolin .
any of some other unrelated species that feed with ants , including pangolin ( scaly anteater ) , echidna ( spiny anteater ) , aardvark and numbat ( banded anteater ) .
the giant anteater ' s front feet have large claws , which are curled under when the giant anteater walks . although the giant anteater has poor vision the giant anteater is able to detect food using its keen sense of smell .
the giant anteater has the longest tongue in relation to its body size of any mammal , as displayed by this baby anteater .
anteaters belong to the order ‘pilosa’ which also includes sloths . the giant anteater is the largest of the anteater species , hence its name . other anteater species include the silky anteater ( cyclopes didactylus ) and the collared anteater ( tamandua tetradactyla ) . giant anteaters can be found in forests and savannas throughout central and south america from belize to northern argentina but are more common in the south .
however , it turns out that he has misidentified an anteater as a lion .
a giant anteater eats about 30 , 000 ants each day . the tamandua eat about 9 , 000 in a day , and the silky anteater can eat 5 , 000 in one day . the giant anteater and tamandua also consume termites .
anteater range royalty free cliparts , vectors , and stock illustration . image 9677040 .
doing this allows the anteater to keep its claws out of the way while walking .
the plot involves a wicked anteater who is a constant threat to an ant colony .
the giant anteater ' s sense of smell is 40 times more powerful than ours .
the giant anteater is classified in animalia because it is multicellular , eukaryotic , and heterotrophic and digests its food in a stomach . the giant anteater is in the phylum chordata because it’s a vertebrate and has a tail at the end of its body . being in the class mammalia means that the giant anteater has sweat glands and hair . being in the family myrmecophagide means that the giant anteater it is part of the anteater family .
after the two removed their pelts and submerged , the anteater jumped out of the water and stole the jaguar ' s pelt , leaving the jaguar with the anteater ' s pelt .
the term
anteater
is also colloquially applied to the mammals of diverse other groups , such as the echidna ( spiny anteaters ) of monotremata , the numbat ( banded anteater ) of marsupialia , the aardvark ( cape anteater ) of tubulidentia , and the pangolin ( scaly anteater ) of pholidota . however , these anteaters are not regarded as “true anteaters . ”
the tongue of the anteater is the longest of any mammal in relation to body size .
its name is a hint to one of its favorite foods , and you can ' t miss its long snout , but there ' s more to the story of the giant anteater ! this unique animal is the largest of the three anteater species ( the other two are the tamandua or lesser anteater and the silky anteater ) . the giant anteater is about the size of a golden retriever , but thick , bushy hair makes it look even bigger .
the giant anteater has the longest tongue in relation to its body size of any mammal .
can be bigger ( like the giant anteater that gets to nearly 2m long ) , where others can be smaller ( like the silky anteater that only grows to around 30 cm ) .
, the giant anteater is not thought to be in immediate danger of extinction but recent reports indicate that there may be less than 5 , 000 giant anteater individuals left in the wild .
, with a white - banded black stripe running along the giant anteater ' s body . the giant anteater also has a long , bushy tail which can be two to three feet long .
giant anteater with child , captive at the san diego zoo . image © © howard cheng .
the conservation status of the anteater is of near threatened . this means that there should be a
a human’s sense of smell has nothing on the anteater . theirs is 40 times more powerful .
giant anteater pups spend the first year of life hitching a ride on their mothers ' backs .
the mother anteater carries her single offspring on her back for a considerable length of time after it is born , even though the young anteater is capable of a slow gallop four weeks after birth .
since giant anteaters have no teeth , mastication or
chewing
of food in the wild is likely aided along by pebbles and other debris the anteater swallows along with his or her protein - packed insect meal . once they are trapped by the sticky tongue and enter an anteater ' s digestive system , insects are mushed up against the anteater ' s hard palate , probably with the aid of the anteater ' s flexing jaws , and are further smashed in the anteater ' s very muscular stomach .
the secretion contains pinene , limonene and other high molecular weight compounds that deter the anteater from returning .
in fact , evolution has produced several completely distinct lines of anteater - like species across the world that look similar and have the same general body functions , but there is only one true giant anteater .
naples , v . 1999 . morphology , evolution , and function of feeding in the giant anteater .
example of a giant anteater expressing the stereotypic behaviour , pacing . filmed in a zoo in england .
at just 32 . 7°c , the giant anteater has the lowest body temperature of any terrestrial mammal .
two genera and three species are in the family , consisting of the giant anteater , and the tamanduas .
myrmecophaga tridactyla , a giant anteater , captive at aalborg zoo , denmark . image © 2003 malene thyssen .
adult anteaters are normally solitary . though they are generally not aggressive animals , when attacked they can defend themselves with the emission a shrill call ( as in silky anteater ) or with their saber–like anterior claws ( as in giant anteater ) . an embrace by the giant anteater ' s powerful forelimbs can sometimes prove fatal .
the silky anteater is also called the pygmy anteater . the maximum head - to - tail length is 21 inches ( 52 centimeters ) . weight ranges from 6 to 13 ounces ( 175 to 357 grams ) .
the giant anteater is a prey item for pumas and jaguars . they have many weapons to protect themselves . when possible the anteater will gallop away from the predator . when confronted the anteater rises up on its tail and slashes at the predator . it has been seen that the anteaters claws can cut open a jaguar .
the giant anteater is also adept at swimming freestyle and uses the snout as a snorkel while doing so .
the giant anteater is the largest of the anteater species ( the others being the silky anteater and the tamandua ) . they measure between 40 and 48 inches ( 100 to 120cm ) . their large tail measures between 28 and 35 inches ( 70 and 90cm ) . they have a heavily elongated head which measures about 30cm .
the silky anteater and tamandua have prehensile tails that they use to grab and hold onto objects like trees . both species have soft , silky hair in contrast to the coarse ( rough ) fur of the giant anteater .
hill preservation at one nest an anteater can consume a lot of ants in a short period of time . however , the anteater is carefully to never completely destroy the ant hill where he found his latest meal . if the hill was to be completely destroyed then a valuable food source would be gone forever . because of this , an anteater will only spend a few minutes at a particular hill . in addition the anteater is not immune to the stinging of the angry ants and termites . this also shortens the feeding time of the anteater ( 1 ) .
the anteater has a long snout , the part of the face that includes the nose , mouth , and jaw . while the anteater is toothless , it has a long tongue that it uses to catch the ants that make up the major part of its diet . the anteater uses its snout and claws to reach into ant nests . long hair on the anteater ' s body is a protection against bites from the ants that they hunt and eat .
the anteater has a long snout , the part of the face that includes the nose , mouth , and jaw . while the anteater is toothless , it has a long tongue that it uses to catch the ants that make up the major part of its diet . the anteater uses its snout and claws to reach into ant nests . long hair on the anteater ' s body is a protection against bites from the ants that they hunt and eat . the anteate…
silky anteater ( cyclopes didactylus ) extending its long , narrow tongue , which it uses to capture and ingest prey .
watch an anteater dine on termites , rooting out larvae with its 16 - inch ( 41 - centimeter ) tongue .
to drink , an anteater may dig for water when no surface water is available , creating waterholes for other animals .
the giant anteater has a very keen sense of smell that is about 40 times stronger than humans . the anteater uses it ' s long , keen nose to sniff out it prey . once it finds the unsuspecting ant or termite hill and uses its claws to tear it apart , sending the little insects into a frenzy and easily eaten up . the anteater uses its tongue to flick the ants into its mouth where the anteater sticky saliva keep the ants from getting away .
anteaters have generally poor hearing and eyesight , but a very good sense of smell . in fact , the sense of smell in the giant anteater is regarded to be some 40 times stronger than that of humans ( online anteater 2001 ) .
anteater develops and delivers software for the floriculture sector . we are specialized in eab - software for suppliers , software to send electronic delivery notes to the auctions . on this website you will find all information about our products and you can order and download them . current customers can get information and support on the anteater forum . read more about anteater . . .
the two remained close friends ever since , occasionally solving mysteries , including an adventure involving an anteater and an aluminum violin .
other animals grew larger owing to more of their favoured nutrition being available : these include the giant anteater and the pangolin .
myrmecophaga - three separate species of anteaters make up the family myrmecophaga ; the giant anteater being the largest of the three .
the author’s latest study involved sampling 29 anteater specimens that had died in veterinary hospitals , or were collected as roadkill , from three species : the giant anteater , the southern tamandua , and the silky anteater . after examining the tongues in various ways and under a microscope , they observed an oval - shaped cross section of a long , narrow tongue . the part furthest from the skull was covered in bumpy protrusions , and the front part was rounded and smooth . the southern tamandua and the giant anteater’s tongues had conical tips that made them look like , well , penises ( the silky anteater did not ) .
the anteater has an extremely long tongue that can reach distances of up to 2 feet beyond the end of its snout . anteater tongues are covered in tiny barbs and thick , sticky saliva . the barbs and saliva help the anteater to collect as many ants as possible on its tongue . a giant anteater is capable of eating around 30 , 000 ants in a single day thanks to highly - adapted tongue that can be projected and withdrawn at a rate of around 150 times per minute .
the tongue the anatomy and physiology of the anteater is tongue is very unique and tailored especially to the needs of the anteater . the anteater tongue is about 16 to 24 inches long and slender . covering the tongue is backward pointing spines . these spines along with adhesive saliva help the anteater to quickly flick up ants and termites with minimal stinging occurring ( 2 ) . the giant anteater can flick it ' s tongue as much as 150 times a minute . there is a bone found in the upper throat of most mammals called the hyoid bone . one of the roles of this bone is to serve as an attachment site for various muscles . in anteaters , this bone has a unique arrangement , which allows the anteater tongue to extend considerably . additionally , joints around the hyoid bone allow for the anteater to have a wide range of motion with its tongue ( 3 ) .
they believe women who touched anteater masks or men who stumbled while wearing them would die or receive some sort of physical disorder .
the above phylogenetic tree was self created . many of the branching points are far more complicated than this , but due to limited space and time , i only included the branches important in the classification of the giant anteater . common name : giant anteater .
canadian museum of nature ( cmn ) . 2007 . giant anteater . canadian museum of nature . retrieved october 29 , 2007 .
habitat : the giant anteater lives on the ground in nearly treeless grasslands and in forests . they also range in wetland swamps .
the giant anteater and its habitat are threatened by agricultural encroachment and fires , both natural and man - made ( 3 ) .
source / reference article learn how you can use or cite the anteater article in your website content , school work and other projects .
the silky anteater is a native of the hottest area in tall humid forests , and is exclusively arboreal and nocturnal in its habits .
by filming this animal , the researchers have been able to describe the unique spiny anteater erection and ejaculation behaviour for the first time .
the young anteater initially shelters in a nest in a hollow tree , but later moves about by clinging to its mother ' s back .
an interesting aspect about the anteater is that doesn ' t have teeth . instead , debris often naturally makes it way into the anteater mouth in the process of flicking up the ants . this debris is used to aid in
chewing
up the insects ( 1 ) .
the giant anteater and tamanduas constitute the family myrmecophagidae , which means “ant - eating” in latin , whereas the silky anteater is classified in a family of its own , cyclopedidae . together the two families make up the anteater suborder , vermilingua ( literally “worm - tongue” in latin ) . anteaters , along with sloths , are placed within the mammalian order pilosa of the magnorder xenarthra . a number of animals unrelated to the myrmecophagids are also called anteaters . the banded anteater ( see numbat ) , for example , is a marsupial . the scaly anteater ( see pangolin ) was formerly grouped with xenarthrans in an order called edentata , but it has since been assigned to its own separate order . the short - beaked echidna is often called a spiny anteater , but this animal is even more distantly related ( see monotreme ) . the african aardvark also belongs to a different mammalian order , yet , like the anteater , it has a tubular muzzle for eating ants and is sometimes called an antbear .
giant anteater is the common name for the largest species of anteater , myrmecophaga tridactyla , characterized by a long , narrow , tapered snout without teeth , very long tongue , long and bushy tail , and five digits on each foot , including four with claws on the forefeet and five with claws on the hindfeet . the giant anteater is found in central and south america . it is the only species in the myrmecophaga genus .
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the photograph in question , above , was taken by brazilian wildlife photographer marcio cabral and features an anteater feasting on a termite mound at night .
what made you want to look up anteater ? please tell us where you read or heard it ( including the quote , if possible ) .
while the giant anteater has five digits on each foot , their first digit is reduced and the second and third digits exhibit the long claws .
indigenous people in the amazon basin view the giant anteater as a trickster to the jaguar and humorous figure due to the length of their snout .
the anteater feeds mainly on a diet of insects and termites . anteaters will find a nest of ants or termites and then begin to dig down into this . they can then remove the ants from the nest . up to 15 , 000 ants may be eaten by one anteater each day .
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when it was first discovered , it was originally thought to be an anteater , as it lacked the characteristic fused - hair scales of other pangolins .
3 . naples , v . l . ( 1999 ) . morphology , evolution and function of feeding in the giant anteater ( myrmecophaga tridactyla ) .
the giant anteater can be found in a number of locations including : south america . find out more about these places and what else lives there .
the anteater is mainly terrestrial , but is capable of climbing and is a strong and capable swimmer . it may be nocturnal or diurnal . in the wild , the giant anteater is primarily nocturnal or active at night near human settlements and diurnal or active during the day elsewhere . the giant anteater does not sleep in any fixed place , instead curling up in abandoned burrows and hollows . it covers its body with its long , bushy tail to sleep .
anteaters are not aggressive but they can be fierce . a cornered anteater will rear up on its hind legs , using its tail for balance , and lash out with dangerous claws . the giant anteater ' s claws are some four inches long , and the animal can fight off even a puma or jaguar .
the female produces one offspring per birth . during much of its first year of life , a young anteater will ride on its mother ' s back .
the giant anteater , myrmecophaga tridactyla , is one of four extant species belonging to the suborder vermilingua and technically known as anteaters . the other three are cyclopes didactylus ( pygmy or silky anteater ) , tamandua tetradactyla ( southern tamandua , collared anteater , or lesser anteater ) , and tamandua mexicana ( northern tamandua ) . all four species are truly toothless mammals of south and central america that are highly specialized for feeding on ants and termites from their nest hills . they are characterized by a long tubular and tapered snout , very long worm–shaped tongue , and strong forelimbs with very sharp , long , and backwardly hooked claws .
the giant anteater is generally acknowledged to have a keen sense of smell , used to locate ants , but is thought to have poor sight and hearing .
the giant anteater ' s claws curl up into their feet when they walk , in order to keep their claws from wearing down and losing their sharpness .
, and we’ve had them on and off over the years since . we welcomed the first birth of a baby giant anteater at our zoo in 1980 .
a giant anteater is not immune to ant bites , so it feeds at an ant or termite colony for just a minute or so before moving on .
also known as the two - toed , pygmy , or dwarf anteater , the silky anteater ( cyclopes didactylus ) is the smallest and least - known member of the family . the silky anteater is found from southern mexico southward to bolivia and brazil . it is not rare but is difficult to spot because it is nocturnal and lives high in the trees . it is also exquisitely camouflaged , its silky yellowish coat matching both the colour and the texture of fibrous seed masses produced by the silk - cotton tree ( see kapok ) . during the day the silky anteater rests amid clumps of tropical vines ( see liana ) .
to cite this page for personal use : giant anteater . [ online ] . natural history notebooks . canadian museum of nature . last updated ( web site consulted
zookeeper amy heath has recruited a special teddy - bear to take on the role of surrogate mum to zsl london zoo’s newest arrival ; a tiny baby anteater .
insects such as termites , ants , beetles , insect larvae ; occasionally fruit . the giant anteater fulfills it ' s need for water by licking wet vegetation .
giant anteater pups have a 50 percent mortality rate in the first three months of life . they are very susceptible to pneumonia and other health - related problems .
the giant anteater is classified as vulnerable ( vu ) on the iucn red list ( 1 ) , and listed on appendix ii of cites ( 4 ) .
the anteater family includes three genera ( jen - uh - rah ) and four species . a genus ( jee - nus ) , the singular of genera , is a group of animals with similar characteristics . size is the primary difference in each anteater genus , and that difference is represented in the animals ' common names .
and can be five to seven feet long from nose to tail . the giant anteater has a narrow head , a long nose , small eyes and round ears .
the anonymous third party provided the museum with photos of a stuffed anteater featured in an exhibit outside a visitor center at the same park where cabral shot his image .
the giant anteater is able to adapt to a variety of different environments . they are able to live in grassland areas , the rainforest , and deciduous forest locations .
the following habitats are found across the giant anteater distribution range . find out more about these environments , what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them .
the most conspicuous distinctive mark of all anteater species is their long snout and their extremely long tongue , the average tongue ranges from 20 to 23 inches in length .
other anteater species in the myrmecophagidae family are the semi - arboreal tamandua and the completely arboreal silky anteater . both are much smaller , and have smaller snouts , though they are similar in general shape . the anteaters are all also related to two - toed and three - toed sloths , which are part of the edentate family bradypodidae .
the giant anteater is particularly well developed for feeding . it locates its prey in the wild using its excellent sense of smell . once an anteater has found an appealing
snack bar
it utilizes its powerful forelegs and sharp claws to rip an ant / termite hill open . it then uses its long snout and tongue to scoop out termites and ants from their nests . at any one stop , a giant anteater will munch down a few thousand insects in just a few minutes . that ' s fast eating ! to accommodate the pace , an anteater ' s tongue has to move very rapidly into the nest and back into the mouth . in fact , a giant anteater ' s tongue , which is attached by muscles to the sternum , can be flicked in and out of the mouth 150 - 160 or more times a minute !
she puts the giant in giant anteater . the fluffy , striped , long - nosed , golden retriever - sized animal has been at the zoo since 2002 . . .
owen considered the animal might have been an insect - eater , breaking open termite nests like an anteater , but it is now known to have been herbivorous in its habits .
the tongue is covered in backward - curving papillae and coated in thick , sticky saliva secreted from its enlarged salivary glands , which allows the anteater to collect insects with it .
from head to tail , the giant anteater measures a total of 110 inches ( 280 centimeters ) , and weighs from 48 to 88 pounds ( 22 to 39 kilograms ) .
rain forest conservation fund . 2001 .
rainforest conservation fund : species data for giant anteater
( on - line ) . accessed 02 / 02 / 03 at urltoken .
the spiny anteater , however , is notoriously difficult to observe in the wild and shows little enthusiasm for breeding in captivity , so nobody had managed to observe them ejaculate before .
, which can be as long as 60 cm ( 24 inches ) in the giant anteater . anteaters live alone or in pairs ( usually mother and offspring ) and feed mainly on
facts also known as : giant anteater , ant bear conservation status : near threatened location : south and central america lifespan : 15 years in the wild . 26 years in captivity .
giant anteaters are specialist carnivorous predators of termites and ants . they detect anthills and termite mounds with their acute sense of smell . when they have located their prey , the anteater digs open the nest with its huge , sharp claws . the anteater then inserts its very long tongue into the nest and extracts the insects which are then placed in the digestive system .
the researchers have also observed that hundreds of sperm team up to form bundles that swim much faster than individual sperm in the spiny anteater’s semen – another possible adaptation for sperm competition .
the giant anteater frequents low swampy savannas , along the banks of rivers , and the depths of the humid forests , but is not abundant anywhere . it lives above ground , not burrowing underground like armadillos or aardvarks or up trees like other anteaters . the species is nocturnal when living near humans , but away from population centers it is active during the day . the giant anteater has no fixed home . each night , a giant anteater finds a secluded spot and curls up to sleep , with its long bushy tail covering its head and body .
behold , the taxidermied anteater , which does look suspiciously like the one from the final photo : cabral continues to claim that his image was authentic , though the judges are wholly unconvinced .
eukarya - the cells of the giant anteater , like all other eukaryotes , have a true nucleus which contains genetic information , and the organelles within the cells are surrounded by a membrane .
the giant anteater spends a great deal of its time eating every single day . as you can tell from the name , they consume large amounts of ants . they also consume termites .
the female produces one offspring per birth after a gestation period of around 190 days ( for giant anteaters ) . during much of its first year of life , a young anteater will ride on its mother ' s back ( or tail in the case of the silky anteater ) , though the baby anteater is capable of a slow gallop four weeks after birth ( mcdonald 1997 ) . giant anteaters rarely make sounds . they do it mostly when they are young ; the sound is a high - pitched , shrilly grunt noise . a baby that has fallen off his mother ' s back will grunt to its mother either to remind her that it has fallen off or to simply instruct her where it is or to get her attention ( online anteater 2001 ) .
habitat the anteater is extensively distributed in south and central america , frequenting low swampy savannas , along the banks of rivers , and the depths of the humid forests , but is nowhere abundant .
the giant anteater has a long , tubular snout without any teeth whatsoever . it feeds on ants and termites , which it catches thanks to its long , prickly tongue and its sticky saliva .
the anteater only feeds at one mound for about a minute before moving on . after all , the animal doesn ' t want to totally wipe out its source of food ! with a mouthful of delicious insects , the anteater crushes them against the roof of the mouth , and its very muscular stomach further pulverizes the food . anteaters may also lick at fallen fruit and eat soft grubs .
xenarthra - this order is classified by animals that have little or no teeth at all . in the case of the giant anteater , no teeth are present at any point during their life cycle .
once upon a time there was an anteater named pablo . pablo the anteater had a family ; he was the youngest of the bunch . his older sister’s name was rosita and his older brother’s name was jorge . when pablo and his sibling were very young , their mother was in a tragic accident with a puma . now the three young anteaters live with their mother’s sister , aunt ether .
anteaters have an acute sense of smell which helps them to locate anthills and even allows them to tell what type of ant is inside it . the wet , black nose is located on the end of the anteater’s long , pointed snout . the position of the nose is useful for locating food and it also helps the anteater to hold its nose above the surface of the water when swimming .
the giant anteater lives in different habitats , including savannahs , grasslands , swampy areas , dry woods and rainforests . it looks for food in open areas , but rests in areas covered with trees .
the anteater will fold its claws up under their hands . by walking on their fists they keep the claws sharp so that they can keep these sharp for digging open ants nests and defending themselves .
at 32 . 7 o c the anteater’s body temperature is the one of the lowest for a mammal . it is believed this is an adaption to the low amount of calories in their diet .
the two anteaters of the genus tamandua , the southern tamandua ( t . tetradactyla ) and the northern tamandua ( t . mexicana ) , are much smaller than the giant anteater , only about 3 feet ( 90 cm ) long . the usual color is yellowish white , with a broad black lateral band , covering nearly the whole of the side of the body . each anteater has short hair .
the silky anteater is only about 14 inches ( 35 cm ) long , nearly about the size of a rat . it is of a general yellowish color . its silky golden fur makes it resemble the seed pods of the silk cotton tree . both the tamanduas and the silky anteater possess partially prehensile tails for helping them in their arboreal life . thus , the undersides of their tails lack hair .
a brand new program will be added to the anteater software : greenfinger . at the moment we ' re in development , and testing with several dutch suppliers . an english version of greenfinger will follow .
the giant anteater lives in the rainforest and the grass lands of south america . they are very dependent on their environment , since their body temperature is very low , only between 32 and 35 °f .
a number of unrelated mammals are often misnamed or mistaken for anteaters ; they include the aardvark , echidna , armadillo , pangolin , and numbat (
banded
anteater ) , which is a marsupial .
the giant anteater is one of only two taxa of mammals without any teeth even in a mature state ( the pangolins comprising the other ) . an anteater instead crushes insects it consumes using hard growths found on the inside of its mouth , and its muscular stomach . sand and small rocks have also been found in anteaters ' stomachs , suggesting that these are ingested to aid digestion ( possible gastroliths ) .
using its keen sense of smell to track ants , the giant anteater walks with a shuffle , bearing its weight on the sides and knuckles of its forefeet . when harried , it is capable of a clumsy gallop . the giant anteater is also a good swimmer . it does not seem to use dens or other resting places on a permanent basis but chooses instead a secluded spot where it can curl up to rest , with its huge tail covering both its head and its body . females bear a single offspring after a gestation period of about 190 days . a young anteater looks identical , except in size , to an adult , and , from two or three weeks following birth until it is about a year old , it rides on its mother’s back as she travels . the home ranges of individual anteaters living in the llanos overlap and can cover more than 2 , 500 hectares ( 6 , 000 acres ) . the giant anteater is the longest - lived anteater ; one in captivity reportedly survived 25 years .
the anteater uses its sharp claws to tear an opening into an anthill and put its long snout and efficient tongue to work . but it has to eat quickly , flicking its tongue up to 160 times per minute . ants fight back with painful stings , so an anteater may spend only a minute feasting on each mound . anteaters never destroy a nest , preferring to return and feed again in the future .
the giant anteater is classed as ‘near threatened’ by the iucn . as anteaters are placid creatures they are preyed upon by large cats such as pumas and jaguars . however , a cornered anteater will ride up on its hind legs , using its tail for support and use its long claws which are 4 inches long , to fight off the attacker . anteaters are also hunted in south america for fur and food .
giant anteaters are terrestrial . unlike other anteater species , adult giant anteaters only rarely climb trees . instead , its powerful forearms and prominent claws are used primarily for digging and ripping in the search for food .
the anteater’s mouth is narrow , tube - like and toothless . this mouth allows its long , thin tongue to flick in and out quickly and efficiently . anteaters have specialized stomachs that grind up ants with powerful muscles and dissolve them in strong acids . the anteater’s specialized stomach prevents the animal from needing teeth to break down its food and allows large amounts of food to be consumed by swallowing it whole without chewing .
anteater is the common name for truly toothless mammals of south and central america that are highly specialized for feeding on ants and termites from their nest hills . the term technically is restricted to four living species of the suborder vermilingua , namely the pygmy or silky anteater ( cyclopes didactylus ) of family cyclopedidae , the giant anteater ( myrmecophaga tridactyla ) , and lesser anteaters ( tamandua tetradactyla and t . mexicana ) of family myrmecophagidae . according to the mammalian classification of mckenna and bell ( 1997 ) , sloths and the suborder vermilingua together comprise the order pilosa , which in turn comes under the superorder xenarthra ( edenta ) with the armadillos .
the giant anteater is a very unique looking creature , and it is the largest of all anteaters in the world . it is one creature that doesn’t get confused with any others due to the way it looks !
as their name suggests , giant anteaters mostly feed on ants . they will also dine on other insects , including grubs and termites . a single anteater may eat as many as 30 , 000 ants per day .
mammalia - all mammals have either hair or fur , are endothermic , and have mammary glands that make lactation possible . specifically , the giant anteater belongs to a group of mammals called the the eutheria or placental mammals .
today , lucy shares an exhibit with a male anteater named orion near skyfari west , next to the mountain lions . since breeding is unlikely due to lucy ' s age , this is more of a companion pairing .
the range of the giant anteater once extended from belize ( where it now thought to be possibly extinct ) to north west argentina , but numbers have declined throughout most of its range resulting in scattered , isolated populations . the main threats to the giant anteater is habitat loss by agricultural encroachment , especially in central america . fire is a particular problem for grassland populations . they are also hunted throughout their range both for food and as a pest species .
though these so called anteaters and the true anteaters belong to unrelated groups of mammals from widely separated geographical regions ( spiny anteaters and banded anteater from australia , cape anteater from africa , scaly anteater from asia , and true anteaters from south and central america ) , all of them have undergone similar morphological as well as behavioral adaptation for the common habit of feeding on ants and termites . this is the evidence of the fact that utilization of the same niche anywhere takes place by similar animals with homologous or analogous organs . in another words , the body of animals are purposefully designed according to their habit and habitat or their purpose , no matter where they come from or what they are .
but separate from the tongue , casali is most impressed with the anteater’s tubular skull , which is specialized for the skinny tongue’s movement . in fact , the whole animal seems to be adapted for its bug - eating purpose , ripping up ant nests with its strong arms , punching holes with its claws , and sticking its spaghetti tongue into the holes it made . the tongue even has horns that can help grab ants and termites while the anteater explores nests .
these example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word ' anteater . ' views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of merriam - webster or its editors . send us feedback .
behaviour the giant anteater is a very solitary animal . this means that it will not interact with any other animals , including other anteaters . there is an exception for mating season , when the anteaters meet together to find mating pairs .
the anteater rips open a termite or ant hill with its clawed hand and works its tubular snout into the opening , sticking its long , worm–shaped tongue down into the heart of the colony . as the insects swarm to the damaged part of their dwelling , it draws them into its mouth by means of its flexible , rapidly moving tongue covered with sticky saliva . a full–grown giant anteater eats upwards of 30 , 000 ants and termites a day ( cmn 2007 ) .
the giant anteater walks with a very peculiar type of gait . this is due to the fact that they walk on their knuckles . they have a tongue that may grow up to 2 feet in length but it is very slender .
if threatened , the typically non - vocal giant anteater may make a bellowing noise . additionally , they will often rear up on their hind quarters and swipe with their ( up to ) 10 cm ( 4 in . ) long foreclaws .
as an outcome of their diet and lifestyle , anteaters have relatively low metabolic rates . as a stark example , the giant anteater has the lowest recorded body temperature of any placental mammal - 32 . 7° c ( 90 . 9°f ) .
the spiny anteater ( tachyglossus aculeatus ) , also known as the short - beaked echidna , is a primitive mammal found in australia and new guinea . like the platypus , it is a monotreme , laying eggs instead of bearing live young .
the giant anteater ( myrmecophaga tridactyla ) , sometimes called the ant bear , is the largest member of the anteater family and is best known in the tropical grasslands ( llanos ) of venezuela , where it is still common . it was once found in the lowland forests of central america and still lives in the amazon basin southward to the grasslands of paraguay and argentina . gray with a diagonal white - bordered black stripe on each shoulder , the giant anteater attains a length of about 1 . 8 metres ( 6 feet ) , including the long bushy tail , and weighs up to 40 kg ( 88 pounds ) . this ground dweller is mainly diurnal , but in areas near human settlement it is most active at night .
unlike the giant anteater , the lesser anteater , or tamandua ( genus tamandua ) , is arboreal as well as terrestrial . the two tamandua species are similar in size—about 1 . 2 metres ( 4 feet ) long , including the almost - hairless prehensile tail , which is used for climbing . they are often tan with a blackish “vest” around the shoulders and on the body , but some are entirely tan or entirely black . tamanduas have shorter fur and proportionately shorter muzzles than giant anteaters .
the giant anteater ' s species name , tridactyla , comes from
tri
and
dactylos ,
which are greek words for
three fingers
. however , the giant anteaters actually have five toes on each paw ( the fifth is vestigial ) . the name probably came about because only three of the front toes have prominent claws and can be easily seen . the giant anteater walks clumsily on the soles of its back feet and on the in–turned claws of its front feet .
the bizarre sex life of the spiny anteater has been exposed by researchers – the male ejaculates using only one half of its penis . new findings about the creature’s sex life may seem salacious but they could help shed light on an evolutionary mystery .
giant anteaters tend to pursue the larger bodied social insects , while tamanduas and silky anteaters tend to prey on smaller insect fare . such dietary segmentation allows for different anteater species to co - exist in the same region without being in direct predatory competition .
then steve johnston of the university of queensland in gatton , australia , and his colleagues inherited a male spiny anteater that was not so shy . the creature had been retired’ from a zoo as it produced an erection when being handled at public viewing sessions .
the giant anteater has a long , thin head , small eyes , rounded ears , and a bushy and long ( but not prehensile ) tail . the worm - like tongue can extend more than 0 . 6 meters ( 2 feet ) and has a width of only 12 . 5 millimeters ( 0 . 5 inch ) . the anteater can cover its tongue in a sticky saliva , allowing it to trap ants , and the tongue can be extended and withdrawn up to 150 times per minute . the giant anteater , pangolins , and tube - lipped nectar bat , while only distally related , all have tongues that are detached from their hyoid bone and extend past their pharynx deep into the thorax ( muchala 2006 ) . this extension lies between the sternum and the trachea .
anteaters are very good animals . they somehow pull off the whole “slurp up ants with their sticky , noodly , bendy straw tongues” so confidently you forget how weird that is . and scientists agree that , yes , anteater tongues are weird . but they’re also understudied .
the giant anteater is covered with stiff , straw - like hair , which grows up to 40 centimeters ( 15 . 7 inches ) long on the tail . young have soft hair until they are mature . the giant anteater ' s prevailing color is gray or brown , with a broad black band , bordered with white , starting on the chest , and passing obliquely over the shoulder , diminishing gradually in breadth as it approaches the loins , where it ends in a point . all have this diagonal black and white shoulder stripe .
all anteaters are believed to be solitary , only meeting up to breed . they are thought to be polygynous ( puh - lih - juh - nus ) , meaning males mate with more than one female . after giant anteaters mate , the male leaves , but the male silky anteater helps to feed its young while it ' s in the nest . the gestation period , the amount of time before the female gives birth , is 120 to 150 days for silky anteaters and tamandua . the giant anteater gives birth after about 190 days .
another adaptation of the giant anteater is their behaviour . they have an extremely strong sense for smelling their prey . the anteaters are able to smell 40 times better than humans can . this enables them to smell ants or termites from a long distance even up to several miles .
of the four different anteater species , the giant anteater is by far the largest . its body can reach lengths of four feet ( 1 . 2 m ) and it can grow to two feet ( 0 . 6 m ) long . the giant anteater has an elongated snout and a very bushy tail . the coarse , dense fur that covers its body is mostly dark brown or black but it has white forelegs with black bands around its wrists and a wide band of black fur stretches across its chest and all the way to the middle of its back . this stripe is bordered by a thin line of white , gray or light brown fur . its tongue is an impressive two feet long , and half an inch wide . it is covered with sticky saliva that helps it to pick up the insects that it eats , including termites and ants . giant anteaters have large front claws and powerful forelegs that allow them to break open termite mounds in a single swipe and make them a formidable opponent to predators . in a few instances , a giant anteater has killed a puma or jaguar while defending itself against attack .
anteaters are edentate animals—they have no teeth . but their long tongues are more than sufficient to lap up the 35 , 000 ants and termites they swallow whole each day . the giant anteater can reach 7 feet long from the tip of its snout to the end of its tail .
the giant anteater is very solitary and it does well taking care of its own needs . it will usually only interact with others during mating and when there are young to care for . they are able to search for and then to tear into the mounds of termites and ants .