Cyclopes didactylus
Silhouette: PhyloPic
In 3 days ~90% in a week >90%
The silky anteater, also known as the pygmy anteater, has traditionally been considered a single species of anteater, Cyclopes didactylus, in the genus Cyclopes, the only living genus in the family Cyclopedidae. Found in southern Mexico, and Central and South America, it is the smallest of all known anteaters. It has nocturnal habits and appears to be completely arboreal; its hind feet are highly modified for climbing.
A taxonomic review in 2017, including both molecular and morphological evidence, found that Cyclopes may actually comprise at least seven species. The only known extinct cyclopedid species is Palaeomyrmidon incomtus, from the Late Miocene (c. 7 to 9 million years ago) of modern-day Argentina.
The scientific name Cyclopes didactylus translates to "two-toed circle-foot", referencing the two claws present on the forefeet. Additionally, the name alludes to the toes' ability to nearly encircle a branch while clinging.
Silky anteaters are the smallest extant anteaters and have proportionately shorter faces and larger crania than other species. Average adult length ranges from 36 to 45 cm (14 to 18 in), including a tail 17 to 24 cm (6.7 to 9... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Caroni Swamp | 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago |
More parks will be added in future updates.
No species of the same family or order lives in Caroni Swamp, so these are its closest relatives here: other mammals.
Likely
About 50% of wildlife watchers report a Northeastern Silky Anteater sighting in Caroni Swamp on a given day, based on 36 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. Over three days the chance rises to about 90%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March
In that month about 80% of wildlife watchers report a Northeastern Silky Anteater in Caroni Swamp on a given day, against about 10% in August and October, the lowest months. That is one of Caroni Swamp's driest months, with about 30 mm of rain against 130 mm in August.
Between 3 and 6 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Northeastern Silky Anteater sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Only Caroni Swamp, in our data
Caroni Swamp is the only park on Wallace's Line with enough records to rate Northeastern Silky Anteater sightings: about 50% of wildlife watchers there report one on a given day.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Northeastern Silky Anteater is recorded against all the mammals logged in Caroni Swamp (36 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
