tamandu Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun small toothless anteater with prehensile tail and four-clawed forelimbs; of tropical South America and Central America
lesser anteater; Tamandua tetradactyla; tamandua.

Sp., from the native name: cf. F. tamandua.

(Zoöl.) A small ant-eater (Tamandua tetradactyla) native of the tropical parts of South America. ✍ It has five toes on the fore feet, an elongated snout, small ears, and short woolly hair. Its tail is stout and hairy at the base, tapering, and covered with minute scales, and is somewhat prehensile at the end. Called also tamandua, little ant-bear, fourmilier, and cagouare. The collared, or striped, tamandu (Tamandua bivittata) is considered a distinct species by some writers, but by others is regarded as only a variety.