The nocturnal African mammal that is the only living species in the order Tubulidentata is the aardvark. Its scientific name is Orycteropus afer, and it is the sole surviving representative of an ancient mammalian lineage.
Aardvarks live across much of sub-Saharan Africa, especially in areas with suitable soil for burrowing. They emerge after dark to search for ants and termites, using a powerful sense of smell and a long, sticky tongue that can extend roughly 30 centimeters. Their shovel-like claws help them break into insect nests and dig shelter.
The name Tubulidentata refers to the aardvark’s unusual teeth, which are made of many tiny, tube-like structures rather than having conventional enamel-coated crowns. Despite superficial similarities, an aardvark is not an anteater, armadillo, or pangolin. It belongs to Afrotheria, a broader group that also includes elephants, hyraxes, and manatees. Fossil relatives once made the order more diverse, but the aardvark is the only member alive today.