aardvark

Orycteropodidae

Orycteropodidae (aardvark; superorder Protoungulata, order Tubulidentata) A family of animals, known from the Miocene in Africa and the Oligocene in Europe, that are isolated from all other mammal groups and that may be similar to Condylarthra. An orycteropodid is about the size of a small pig. The teeth are peg-like, consisting only of premolars and molars in the form of columns of dentine with no enamel, and grow continuously. The snout is long, the mouth round, the tongue long and worm-like. The animal is able to bury its snout in earth and locate and swallow prey while continuing to breathe. The limbs are specialized for digging, and digging is used as a means of escape from danger as well as to obtain food. The olfactory region of the brain is highly developed. The ears are long and the sense of hearing acute. There is only one extant species, Orycteropus afer (aardvark), distributed throughout Africa south of the Sahara.

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MICHAEL ALLABY. "Orycteropodidae." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

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aardvark

aardvark [Du.,=ground pig], nocturnal mammal of the genus Orycteropus, sole representative of the order Tubulidentata. There are two species, one in central Africa and the other in S Africa. The aardvark, about 6 ft (180 cm) long, has a long snout, large erect ears, an almost naked or sparsely haired body, and a long tail. Its forefeet are adapted for making burrows in the ground and for clawing open the nests of ants and termites in order to capture the insects with its long sticky tongue. Its cylindrical teeth are continuously growing and without enamel or roots. The aardvark resembles the New World anteaters but is not closely related to them. It is also called ant bear or earth pig. Aardvarks are classified in the phylum Chordata , subphylum Vertebrata, class Mammalia, order Tubulidentata, family Orycteropodidae.

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"aardvark." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

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aardvark

aard·vark / ˈärdˌvärk/ • n. a nocturnal burrowing African mammal (Orycteropus afer, family Orycteropidae) with long ears, a tubular snout, and a long extensible tongue, feeding on ants and termites. ORIGIN: late 18th cent.: from South African Dutch, from aarde ‘earth’ + vark ‘pig.’

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"aardvark." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

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aardvark

aardvark Nocturnal, bristly haired mammal of central and s Africa. It feeds on termites and ants, which it scoops up with its sticky 30cm (12in) tongue. Length: up to 1.5m (5ft); weight: up to 70kg (155lb). It is the only representative of the order Tubulidentata.

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"aardvark." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

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Aardvark

Aardvark F-111 a two-seat twin-engine aircraft used as an attack/strike plane.

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"Aardvark." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"Aardvark." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O63-Aardvark.html

"Aardvark." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O63-Aardvark.html

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aardvark

aardvark (ant bear, Orycteropus afer) See ORYCTEROPODIDAE.

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MICHAEL ALLABY. "aardvark." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

MICHAEL ALLABY. "aardvark." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-aardvark.html

MICHAEL ALLABY. "aardvark." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-aardvark.html

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aardvark

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"aardvark." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

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Free newspaper and magazine articles

Mentmore swoops for Aardvark.
Newspaper article from: The Birmingham Post (England); 10/1/2002
BBC rewards all John's aardvark.
Newspaper article from: The Evening Standard (London, England); 12/19/2001
Aardvark expands acetal resin line.(MarketPlace)
Magazine article from: Plastics News; 10/30/2006

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aardvark images
aardvark. (Image by Masur, GFDL)