Pes muscles and their action in giant anteater Myrmecophaga tridactyla (Myrmecophagidae, Pilosa) compared with other plantigrade mammals

Abstract

The pes myology of the giant anteaterMyrmecophaga tridactyla has been studied in detail to understand its adaptive properties. The morphofunctional features of these muscles have been compared to the respective muscles of the brown bear (Ursus arctos), in which the locomotor role of the foot is similar to that in the giant anteater. M. tridactyla has a complete set of short pes muscles and their structure is generally the same as in the brown bear and some other plantigrade mammals. In spite of some differences,. the work of the pes muscles in the giant anteater and brown bear is basically similar, which is consistent with the similar anatomy of these muscles in these two mammals. This similarity suggests that the pes myology in the animals studied reflects the adaptation to the run, which in the giant anteater is however less pronounced than in the brown bear.