Myrmecophagy

Myrmecophagy is the dietary habit of feeding primarily on ants and termites. The term derives from the Greek myrmex, meaning "ant," and phagein, meaning "to eat." Ants and termites form large, dense prey populations, and many animals have independently evolved specialized adaptations to exploit these insects as a major food source.

Prominent myrmecophagous mammals include the anteaters (such as the giant anteater and silky anteater), aardvarks, pangolins, and, in Australia, the numbat. Armadillos are primarily insectivorous and commonly consume ants and termites. Birds such as antbirds, antshrikes, and woodcreepers often forage near or within army ant swarms or termite nests to capture prey exposed by these colonies, a behavior that makes them important participants in ant- and termite-driven ecosystems.

Anatomical and behavioral adaptations support myrmecophagy. Many myrmecophagous species have elongated snouts and long, sticky tongues, powerful forelimbs with strong claws for excavating nests, and dentition adapted to processing small, soft prey or to swallowing insects. Digestive systems may be specialized to extract nutrients from hard-bodied prey and to tolerate chemical defenses encountered inside nests.

Ecology and evolution: Myrmecophagy has evolved in multiple mammal and bird lineages, illustrating convergent evolution in response to abundant social insects. The most at-risk groups include pangolins and some anteater species, facing habitat loss and hunting. Conservation and ecosystem changes that affect ant and termite populations can have cascading effects on myrmecophagous taxa.