Posted on 05/31/2024 4:50:24 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Aardwolves — the "weird cousin" of the hyena world that has peg teeth and only eats insects — are an evolutionary mystery, stemming from a ghost lineage that scientists haven't been able to figure out.
Aardwolves, which translates as "earth wolves" in Afrikaans, are the smallest of the four hyena species. (Image credit: pjmalsbury via Getty Images) Name: Aardwolf (Proteles cristatus)
Where it lives: Savannah and grasslands in eastern and southern Africa
What it eats: Termites and ants
Why it's awesome: Unlike their meat-eating relatives, these solitary, nocturnal little hyenas survive on a diet almost entirely made up of termites. They can gobble up to 300,000 of the insects every night, using their sticky, super-long tongues to lap them up.
Aardwolf tongues are broad and rounded, with big, hardened papillae, or the bumps on the tongue that contain taste buds. The sand they lap up with the termites helps the hyenas' digestion.
Thanks to this specialized diet, aardwolves have flattened, peg-like teeth that can't chew meat. While the animals still have fangs, unlike their meat-eating counterparts, they only use them to defend their territory and cubs.
Related: Siberian cave filled with mammoth, rhino and bear bones is ancient hyena lair
Aardwolves, which translates as "earth wolves" in Afrikaans, are the smallest of the four hyena species, measuring 22 to 31 inches (55 to 80 centimeters) long and up to 20 inches (50 cm) tall. Unlike spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) and striped hyenas (Hyaena hyaena), aardwolves don't live in packs and only come together to mate and rear young.
This lonely lifestyle also stems from their taste for termites. They spend many hours licking up termites each night, and this foraging-based diet isn't suited for group living.
(Excerpt) Read more at livescience.com ...
Aardvark is his best friend.
The Ant and the Aardwolf was a favorite cartoon.
Kind of cute
Slender, light bones. Proportionally small head.
Ears and face of a fox. Stripes aid natures protection of camouflage.
has nothing on the honey badger (the greedy little #)
We will evolve stubby teeth and a broad tongue with raised papillae once our masters force the bug diets upon us.
The worst thing about being eaten by hyenas is are they laughing at you or with you?
I saw an aardwolf with a Chinese menu in his hand
Walking through the streets of Soho in the rain
He was looking for the place called Lee Ho Fook’s
Gonna get a big dish of termite chow mein
:)
Thanks nickcarraway.
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