What animal is the main character, Arthur?

The main character Arthur is an aardvark.

Arthur Read is an anthropomorphic brown aardvark created by author and illustrator Marc Brown. He first appeared in the children’s book Arthur’s Nose, published in 1976, before becoming the star of the long-running PBS animated series Arthur. In the television series, Arthur is an eight-year-old third-grade student living in the fictional Elwood City.

Arthur’s species is sometimes mistaken because his face is rounded and his ears, glasses, and clothing make him look more like a generic cartoon child. The books initially emphasized his long, aardvark-like nose, while later artwork and the television design gave him a softer, more human-looking appearance.

An aardvark is not an aardwolf, armadillo, or anteater. Aardvarks are mammals native to sub-Saharan Africa and are known for powerful digging claws, large ears, and a long snout used to eat ants and termites. Arthur’s family members, including D.W. and Kate, are also depicted as aardvarks, even though the characters have distinct personalities and designs.