. Natural history. Zoology. AARD- VARKS AND PANGOLINS. 189 from all the latter in the absence of additional articular facets to the hindei trunk-vertebra;. More definitely they may be distinguished from the edentates as follows. V/^hen teeth are present these are of a totally different type to those of the latter, and when teeth are absent the hinder trunk- Vertebrae lack the aforesaid additional articulations which are present in the toothless edentates. The aard-varks, or ant-bears (Orycteropodidcc), forming the typical members of the order, are now represented by two closely allied species
. Natural history. Zoology. AARD- VARKS AND PANGOLINS. 189 from all the latter in the absence of additional articular facets to the hindei trunk-vertebra;. More definitely they may be distinguished from the edentates as follows. V/^hen teeth are present these are of a totally different type to those of the latter, and when teeth are absent the hinder trunk- Vertebrae lack the aforesaid additional articulations which are present in the toothless edentates. The aard-varks, or ant-bears (Orycteropodidcc), forming the typical members of the order, are now represented by two closely allied species of the genus Ory teropus, both of which are confined to the Ethiopian region. There is, however, evidence that during the Aard-Varka. Tertiary period aard-varka existed in the south of Europe. The existing forms are uncouth and strange-looking animals of large size, with the akin nearly naked, or sparsely covered with bristly hairs. The long and narrow head is fur- nished with greatly elongated, slender, and pointed ears, and terminates in a somewhat pig-like snout, in which are perforated the circular nostrils, while the mouth is tubular. The neck is short, the fore-quarters are comparatively short, the back is much arched, and the tail, which is nearly as long as the iDody, is thick, cylin- drical, and tapering. In the short —AkRD-YARjL(,Orycteropuscapensis). but powerful fore-limbs, £he four toes are furnished with medium-sized strong nails ; while the hind-feet have five nearly equal toes, each bearing a nail. When walking, the entire soles are applied to the ground. Adult aard-varks usually have five pairs of cheek-teeth in each jaw, although from eight to ten pairs of upper teeth, and eight of lower ones are developed. Of these all but the last three have milk- predecessors, which never cut the gum. These teeth have no enamel, and are composed of a number of adherent polygonal denticules, traversed by a series of radiating tubes ; such a structure being quite
Size: 1887px × 1325px
Photo credit: © The Book Worm / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookauthorly, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectzoology
