Olfactory Discrimination in the Giant Anteater

Abstract

THE giant anteater (Myrmecophaga jubata), a South American edentate with a well developed olfactory system and an almost insatiable penchant for sniffing, has traditionally been called a “macrosmatic” animal. Beyond the neural development and the behavioural predilection, however, there is no evidence to indicate that the sense of smell in this animal is extraordinarily acute.