Aardvark
| Aardvark Temporal range:
| |
|---|---|
| Aardvark in the Bushveld, Limpopo | |
| At Royal Burgers' Zoo, Arnhem, Netherlands | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Tubulidentata |
| Family: | Orycteropodidae |
| Genus: | Orycteropus |
| Species: | O. afer
|
| Binomial name | |
| Orycteropus afer (Pallas, 1766)
| |
| Subspecies | |
|
See text | |
| Aardvark range | |
The aardvark (/ˈɑːrdvɑːrk/ ⓘ ARD-vark; Orycteropus afer) is a medium-sized, burrowing, nocturnal mammal native to Africa.[2][3] The aardvark is the only living member of the genus Orycteropus, the family Orycteropodidae and the order Tubulidentata.[4][5] It has a long proboscis, similar to a pig's snout, which is used to sniff out food.
The aardvark is an afrotherian, a clade that also includes elephants, manatees, and hyraxes.
It is found over much of the southern two-thirds of the African continent, avoiding areas that are mainly rocky. A nocturnal feeder, the aardvark subsists on ants and termites by using its sharp claws and powerful legs to dig the insects out of their hills. Aardvarks also dig to create burrows in which to live and rear their young.
- ^ Taylor, A.; Lehmann, T. (2015). "Orycteropus afer". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T41504A21286437. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-2.RLTS.T41504A21286437.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- ^ Hoiberg 2010, pp. 3–4
- ^ "Aardvark, n." Dictionary of South African English. Dictionary Unit for South African English, 2018. 26 February 2019.
- ^ Schlitter 2005, p. 86
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
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