Silky anteater

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Silky anteater[1]

Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[2]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Pilosa
Family: Cyclopedidae
Genus: Cyclopes
J. E. Gray, 1821
Species:
C. didactylus
Binomial name
Cyclopes didactylus
Silky anteater range
Synonyms

Myrmecophaga didactyla Linnaeus, 1758

The silky anteater, also known as the pygmy anteater, has traditionally been considered a single

nocturnal habits and appears to be completely arboreal
; its hind feet are highly modified for climbing.

A taxonomic review in 2017, including both molecular and morphological evidence, found that Cyclopes may actually comprise at least seven species.[4] The only known extinct cyclopedid species is Palaeomyrmidon incomtus, from the Late Miocene (c. 7 to 9 million years ago) of modern-day Argentina.[5][6]

Description

Silky anteaters are the smallest living anteaters and have proportionately shorter faces and larger

crania than other species. Adults have a total length ranging from 36 to 45 cm (14 to 18 in), including a tail 17 to 24 cm (6.7 to 9.4 in) long, and weigh from 175 to 400 g (6.2 to 14.1 oz). They have dense and soft fur, which ranges from grey to yellowish in color, with a silvery sheen. Many subspecies have darker, often brownish, streaks, and paler underparts or limbs. The eyes are black, and the soles of his feet are red.[6]

The scientific name translates roughly as "two-toed circle-foot", and refers to the presence of two

hallux that is not externally visible. The ribs are broad and flat, overlapping to form an internal armored casing that protects the chest.[6]

They have partially prehensile tails.

Distribution and habitat

Silky anteaters are found from Oaxaca and southern Veracruz in Mexico, through Central America (except El Salvador), and south to Ecuador, and northern Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil. A distinct population is found in the northern Atlantic Forest of eastern Brazil. Silky anteaters are also found on the island of Trinidad. They inhabit a range of different forest types, including semi-deciduous, tropical evergreen, and mangrove forests, from sea level to 1,500 m (4,900 ft).[2]

Systematics

Silky anteaters form the sister clade to the

Folivora), together forming Pilosa
.

Until a detailed taxonomic review in 2017, seven subspecies of C. didactylus were recognized.[6]

  • C. d. didactylus Linnaeus, 1758 - the
    Guyanas, eastern Venezuela
    , Trinidad, Atlantic Forest
  • C. d. catellus Thomas, 1928 - northern Bolivia, southeastern Peru, western Brazil
  • C. d. dorsalis Gray, 1865 - extreme southern Mexico, Central America, northern Colombia
  • C. d. eva Thomas, 1902 - western Ecuador, southwestern Colombia
  • C. d. ida, Thomas, 1900 - western Brazil, eastern Ecuador and Peru
  • C. d. melini Lönnberg, 1928 - northern Brazil, eastern Colombia
  • C. d. mexicanus Hollister, 1914 - southern Mexico
Cladogram of living Cyclopes[7][4]
Cyclopes

C. rufus

C. thomasi

C. ida

C. xinguensis

C. dorsalis

C. didactylus

The 2017 review suggests that four of these subspecies deserve to be recognized as species, while the others are synonyms. It also described three new species of silky anteater.[4]

  • C. didactylus (
    Guyanas, eastern Venezuela
    , Trinidad, Atlantic Forest and northern Brazil
  • C. catellus Thomas, 1928 - Bolivia
  • C. dorsalis (Gray, 1865) (synonyms: C. d. eva and C. d. mexicanus) - western Ecuador, southwestern to northern Colombia, Central America, southern Mexico
  • C. ida Thomas, 1900 - western Brazil, eastern Ecuador, eastern Colombia and Peru
  • C. thomasi Miranda et al., 2017 - Central Peru, extreme western Brazil (Acre)
  • C. rufus Miranda et al., 2017 - Brazil (Rondônia)
  • C. xinguensis Miranda et al., 2017 - Brazil, between the
    Amazon river
    )

Behavior

A mounted specimen from the Natural History Museum of Geneva

Silky anteaters are

canopy, where they can move to different places without the need to descend from trees.[8] They can occur at fairly high densities of 0.77 individuals/ha, for example, in some areas.[clarification needed
] Females have smaller home ranges than males.

The silky anteater is a slow-moving animal and feeds mainly on

insectivorous
bats.

It is a solitary animal and gives birth to a single young, up to twice a year. The young are born already furred, and with a similar colour pattern to the adults. They begin to take solid food when they are about one-third of the adult mass.[6] The young is usually placed inside a nest of dead leaves built in tree holes,[8] and left for about eight hours each night.[6]

Damas Island, Costa Rica

Some authors suggest the silky anteater usually dwells in

harpy eagles. During the day, they typically sleep curled up in a ball.[13] Although they are rarely seen in the forest, they can be found more easily when they are foraging on lianas
at night.

When threatened, the silky anteater, like other anteaters, defends itself by standing on its hind legs and holding its fore feet close to its face so it can strike any animal that tries to get close with its sharp claws.[6]

The silky anteater is a host of the

Gigantorhynchus echinodiscus.[14]

References

  1. .
  2. ^ . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  3. ^ Linnæus, Carl (1758). Systema naturæ per regna tria naturæ, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I (in Latin) (10th ed.). Holmiæ: Laurentius Salvius. p. 35. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  4. ^ .
  5. .
  6. ^ .
  7. .
  8. ^ a b c d e Bartoz, Suzy; Cerda, Anthony (2009). "Silky Anteater". Benedictine University. Archived from the original on October 4, 2013. Retrieved 16 Aug 2009.
  9. S2CID 84901651
    .
  10. .
  11. ^ "Cyclopes didactylus (Silky Anteater)" (PDF). Sta.uwi.edu. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  12. ^ "Silky Anteater". WildMagazine. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
  13. JSTOR 1378984
    .
  14. .

Other sources