Threatened species of Myrmecophagidae

The anteater is part of the suborder Vermilingua, which appropriately means "worm tongue." There are four species of anteaters: giant anteater, silky anteater, northern tamandua, and southern tamandua. Anteaters are abundant across Central and South America, except for the giant anteater, which is categorized as vulnerable in the IUCN Red List.

Northern tamanduas, which live in the tropics of Central America, have unmistakable black coloring on their shoulders and torsos and, like the silky, are primarily arboreal. Southern tamanduas can be found in places like Venezuela, Trinidad, and Uruguay. Overall, they are fairly similar in physical appearance and behavior with some slight differences. The giant anteater, which can weigh up to 90 pounds when fully grown, is sometimes called the "ant bear" due to its markings and size. The silky, also known as pygmy, is much smaller and lighter in color. It's the smallest of the four and spends a majority of its time up in trees.relatives and live solitary lives in densely forested areas.