en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silky_anteater
1 correction found
Sometimes, it also feeds on other insects, such as termites
Current species accounts say termites have not been identified in silky anteater diet studies. The best-supported diet is almost entirely ants, with some records of beetles.
Full reasoning
The article says silky anteaters feed on termites, but current specialist references contradict that.
The IUCN SSC Anteater, Sloth and Armadillo Specialist Group's species account for Cyclopes didactylus says the species is an opportunistic forager that almost entirely feeds on ants, can also ingest beetles, and that "To date, no termites have been identified in any study on its diet."
A peer-reviewed comparative study on anteaters likewise describes Cyclopes spp. as "feeding solely on ants". While some modern sources allow occasional beetle ingestion, these sources do not support termites as a documented prey item.
So the specific claim that silky anteaters feed on termites is contradicted by current diet summaries.
2 sources
- Common silky anteater | IUCN SSC Anteater, Sloth and Armadillo Specialist Group
diet This is an opportunistic forager that almost entirely feeds on ants, but can also ingest beetles. To date, no termites have been identified in any study on its diet.
- Comparative masticatory myology in anteaters and its implications for interpreting morphological convergence in myrmecophagous placentals
The monogeneric Cyclopedidae comprises the pygmy anteaters (Cyclopes spp.), a group of small arboreal recently described cryptic species ... feeding solely on ants.