The aardvark is the only living member of the mammalian order Tubulidentata.
Tubulidentata means “tube teeth,” referring to the aardvark’s unusual teeth. Each tooth is made of many thin tubes of dentine rather than having a conventional central pulp cavity. The teeth are not covered by enamel and can continue growing as they wear down while the animal feeds on ants and termites.
Aardvarks are nocturnal mammals native to sub-Saharan Africa. They use powerful claws to break into termite mounds and ant nests, then collect insects with a long, sticky tongue. Their thick skin and ability to close their nostrils provide protection from bites, dust, and soil.
Although aardvarks resemble pigs in body shape and are sometimes called “antbears,” they are not pigs, bears, or anteaters. Their closest living relatives include other African mammals in the broader group Afrotheria, such as elephants and hyraxes, though aardvarks form their own distinct lineage.