Despite their striking similarities and the pangolin’s nickname, the “scaly anteater,” pangolins and anteaters are not related. Both mammals share the highly specialized diet of consuming ants and termites, a practice known as myrmecophagy. Pangolins are unique placental mammals distinguished by a coat of thick, overlapping keratin scales, while anteaters have a covering of dense, coarse hair. This parallel in appearance and feeding habits is the result of separate evolutionary journeys, not common ancestry.
Separate Evolutionary Paths
The two animals occupy different branches of the mammalian family tree, a separation established by modern genetic and taxonomic analysis. Anteaters are native only to the Americas and belong to the Superorder Xenarthra, a group that also includes sloths and armadillos. Xenarthrans represent one of the four major divisions of placental mammals that originated in South America approximately 60 million years ago.
Pangolins, conversely, are found exclusively in Africa and Asia and are classified in their own distinct Order, Pholidota. Molecular studies indicate that the closest living relatives to pangolins are actually the carnivorans, such as dogs and cats, with which they form the clade Ferae. The evolutionary split between the Pholidota and the Carnivora occurred millions of years ago.
Convergent Evolution
The reason these two unrelated mammals look alike is convergent evolution. This biological phenomenon occurs when species adapt to similar environmental pressures, independently developing comparable physical traits. Their shared niche is the specialized consumption of colonial insects, which necessitates specific physical tools for survival.
Both pangolins and anteaters have evolved a long, sticky tongue that can be extended far to capture prey deep within nests and tunnels. This adaptation is so advanced that the root of the tongue extends into the chest cavity near the sternum, rather than being anchored in the mouth. They also possess powerful forelimbs with large claws for tearing apart the hard soil of ant and termite mounds. Furthermore, they have both lost their teeth entirely, as their diet of small insects does not require chewing.
Unique Physical Characteristics
The physical differences between the two animal groups highlight their distinct evolutionary paths. The defining feature of the pangolin is its armor of large, overlapping scales made of keratin. When threatened, a pangolin curls into a tight, nearly impenetrable ball, using these scales as a defense mechanism.
Anteaters, in contrast, are covered in a dense coat of coarse hair, offering no comparable armored protection. The locomotion of the two animals also differs significantly. Pangolins often walk on their hind legs and shuffle on the outer edges of their front feet to protect their digging claws. Anteaters, such as the Giant Anteater, walk on the sides of their specialized wrists, keeping their long, curved claws tucked inward to prevent dulling them.