THE PANGOLIN AND ANTEATER

Pangolins are often known as scaly anteaters – for good reason. The pangolins of Africa and Asia and the unrelated anteaters of the Americas have independently evolved adaptations to similar ecological roles, a phenomenon called convergent evolution. Both groups are myrmecophages (ant-eaters), as well as efficient BBC Wildlife predators of termites. They both have very long, sticky tongues, which emerge from fused tubelike jawbones with no teeth. These are useful for lapping up insects from their nests, which the animals rip open with large, hooked fore-claws. Both pangolins and anteaters have great senses of smell, but their eyesight is somewhat lacking.