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Wikipedia:Featured article candidates/Giant anteater/archive1

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The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by GrahamColm 12:47, 3 September 2012 [1].

Giant anteater edit

Giant anteater (edit | talk | history | protect | delete | links | watch | logs | views)

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Nominator(s): LittleJerry (talk) 14:53, 3 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

I am nominating this for featured article because I feel it is now within range. It had recieved a GA review, a Peer review and has been copyedited by aleast two users: Lfstevens and Towns of Cats. Have at it. LittleJerry (talk) 14:53, 3 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

SupportComments Nice looking article. I'll jot one or two points as I come across them.

  • There are a few cases of consecutive sentences using the same cite within the same paragraph (for example the first para in the "Taxonomy and phylogeny" section where citenote 4 is used twice, one immediately after the other). In cases like this the cite is only really necessary in the second instance. There are further instances of this - e.g. the last para of "Feeding anatomy" using citenote 9 twice. Simon Burchell (talk) 15:14, 3 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Fixed so a paragraph doesn't use the same citenote twice (or more) in a row. For the last example you point to, there is a 12 citenotes between the 9 citenotes. LittleJerry (talk) 16:45, 3 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  • "The giant anteater is native to Central and South America. Its range stretches from Honduras to northern Argentina. Fossil remains have been found as far north as northwestern Sonora, Mexico. It is generally absent from the Andes and is extinct in Uruguay. It may also be extinct in Belize, Costa Rica and Guatemala." - this needs rephrasing, since as written it is saying that it may be extinct in an area outside its described range. Perhaps "Its range may have extended to Belize and Guatemala but it could be extinct in these countries" or somesuch. Simon Burchell (talk) 15:20, 3 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Changed to "Its known range stretches..." LittleJerry (talk) 16:45, 3 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  • "During courtship, a male tends to an estrous female" - not sure what "tends to" means in this context. Could you clarify? Simon Burchell (talk) 15:34, 3 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Changed to "consorts". LittleJerry (talk) 16:45, 3 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks for the changes, they were minor quibbles but looks better now. Simon Burchell (talk) 08:11, 6 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  • I don't think we now link countries and continents
I think its looks better. LittleJerry (talk) 18:20, 5 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  • giant anteater is the largest anteater species, — rephrase to avoid repetition, eg largest of its family
Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 18:20, 5 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  • It forages in open areas and rests in more forested ones — I don't like that, perhaps change "ones" to "habitats"
Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 18:20, 5 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  • outside of mating — bit odd, perhaps other than when...
Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 18:20, 5 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  • Threats to its survival include habitat destruction and hunting, though some inhabit protected areas — change of subject halfway through sentence, "some anteaters" perhaps?
Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 18:20, 5 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  • The giant anteater was classified by Carl Linnaeus in 1758 — worth say that it retains its original binomial, since most species didn't, and I think Systema Naturae is worthy of a mention. I'd also be inclined to give a ref to the original source, but that's not obligatory.
Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 18:20, 5 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  • although they likely began adapted to arboreal life — clunky, perhaps although they may originally have been adapted...
Fixed LittleJerry (talk)
  • 160 cycles per minute — "I'm not convinced that a reciprocating motion has cycles, but this implies a mechanical regularity which may be inappropriate
Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 18:20, 5 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  • become diurnal in winter — The distribution is transequatorial, clarify "winter". Northern, or Southern?
Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 18:20, 5 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  • Giant anteaters are good swimmers and are capable of fording wide rivers — The two halves of the sentence don't link, fording is walking, not swimming
Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 18:20, 5 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  • Grooming peaks during the first three months and declines as it reaches nine months of age — change of subject halfway through sentence, "as the juvenile reaches" perhaps?
Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 18:20, 5 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  • One more comment The Dark, a documentary last night on BBC Two by a remarkable coincidence featured several giant anteaters visiting the same tree at night, some of them climbing the trunk for a few feet. This was described as part of the territorial scent-marking behaviour. It may be worth adding this if you can reference the behaviour. Not a deal-breaker though, so changed to support above Jimfbleak - talk to me? 05:38, 6 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks. LittleJerry (talk) 18:24, 6 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Images are fine from a copyright perspective. I added a few tags to clarify the status of the old sketch, but it's definitely PD in both the UK and the US. J Milburn (talk) 11:52, 17 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

From the lead section, paragraph 2: "Though giant anteaters live in overlapping home ranges, they are mostly solitary other than when mating, during mother-offspring relationships and aggressive interactions between males." The syntax of the last part of the sentence isn't quite right. I suggest the following instead: "Though giant anteaters live in overlapping home ranges, they are mostly solitary except during mother-offspring relationships, aggressive interactions between males, and when mating." Axl ¤ [Talk] 19:31, 18 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 19:38, 18 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

From "Description", paragraph 1: "Anteaters have survived up to 16 years in captivity." I don't think that this fits in the "Description" section. Perhaps move it to the end of the "Distribution and status" section? Axl ¤ [Talk] 19:55, 20 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Changed to "can live". It is meant to talk about their lifespan but it seems it has only been recorded in captivity. LittleJerry (talk) 23:15, 20 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]
The current text: "Anteaters have been recorded living around 16 years in captivity." doesn't read smoothly. How about "Giant anteaters can live around 16 years in captivity"? Axl ¤ [Talk] 09:33, 21 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 14:54, 21 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

From "Description", paragraph 2: "A stiff mane travels along its back." The mane doesn't actually move along the back. Axl ¤ [Talk] 09:31, 21 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 14:54, 21 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]
My concern is with the word "travels". The mane doesn't actually travel anywhere. Axl ¤ [Talk] 18:06, 21 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 19:13, 21 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks. I have changed it back to "back". :-) Axl ¤ [Talk] 20:14, 21 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

From "Description", paragraph 2: "The thickness of the coat makes up for the animal's relatively low body temperature of 33 °C (91 °F), a few degrees lower than typical mammalian temperature of 36–38 °C (97–100 °F)." Is that really true? The thick coat would allow the anteater to expend less energy to maintain its body temperature. However that isn't a reason for it to have a lower temperature. Indeed the coat would tend to increase its body temperature. Axl ¤ [Talk] 20:36, 21 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

I think you misread it. The coat doesn't give it a low body temperature, it makes up for it. LittleJerry (talk) 22:04, 21 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]
How can the coat "make up for" the lower body temperature? Axl ¤ [Talk] 22:12, 21 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 22:44, 21 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Paragraph 2 in the "Description" section describes the external appearance of the animal. However the photo nearby is of a skeleton. I had to scroll up and down to compare the text with the photo of the living animal in "Distribution and status". How about swapping the photo in "Distribution and status" with the skeleton photo? Axl ¤ [Talk] 10:48, 25 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

I don't think that makes sense. A skeleton does not illustrate its distribution. There are plenty of external images like the lead and the one just below. LittleJerry (talk) 16:33, 25 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Added external image. LittleJerry (talk) 19:50, 26 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

From "Description", paragraph 3: "The middle digits, which support most of its weight, are elongated at the metacarpophalangeal joints and bent at the interphalangeal joints." How can the metacarpophalangeal joints be elongated? Axl ¤ [Talk] 10:57, 25 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Fixed LittleJerry (talk) 16:33, 25 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

From "Description", paragraph 3: "Unlike the front feet, the hind feet have short claws on all five toes, allowing it to walk plantigrade." How does having short claws on all five toes allow it to walk plantigrade? Axl ¤ [Talk] 10:58, 25 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Fixed LittleJerry (talk) 16:33, 25 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

From "Distribution and status", paragraph 1, the wikilink for "Andes" seems to extend into the inline citation. I'm not sure how to fix this. Axl ¤ [Talk] 11:12, 25 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

I don't see a problem. LittleJerry (talk) 16:33, 25 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Hmm, it may have been from when I was viewing on an older browser earlier today. Axl ¤ [Talk] 17:58, 25 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

From "Distribution and status", paragraph 1: "Anteaters are dependent on colonial insects and cannot survive without them." This sentence requires a reference. Also, I presume that these "colonial insects" are restricted to non-flying insects (e.g. ants & termites)? Axl ¤ [Talk] 11:16, 25 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Fixed LittleJerry (talk) 16:33, 25 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

From "Description", paragraph 3: "The elongated claws force the anteater to walk on its knuckles." Does the reference say that the claws "force" the anteater to do this? Axl ¤ [Talk] 09:37, 29 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

It says that the anteater walks on its knuckles because of the length of the claws. LittleJerry (talk) 14:16, 29 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]
The reference states "All xenarthrans exhibit large claws, and it is probably that "knuckle-walking" in Myrmecophaga evolved out of the need to tuck these claws out of the way during terrestrial quadrupedalism." How about "The giant anteater walks on its front knuckles, similar to the African apes, specifically gorillas and chimpanzees. Doing this allows the anteater to keep its claws out of the way while walking." Axl ¤ [Talk] 16:54, 29 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 18:29, 29 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

From "Behavior and ecology", subsection "Foraging and predation", paragraph 3: "Bees have nutritional value and anteaters may target termite mounds with bee hives." The preceding sentence already states that the anteater eats bees that live in termite mounds. Isn't it self-evident that bees have nutritional value? Axl ¤ [Talk] 22:35, 1 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Fixed LittleJerry (talk) 02:01, 2 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]

From "Behavior and ecology", subsection "Foraging and predation", paragraph 3: "They typically flee from danger by galloping but if forced[26] will rear up on their hind legs and slash at the attacker.[32]" I don't understand why reference 26 is after "if forced". Should it reference the first part of the sentence ("galloping") while 32 references the slashing if forced? Axl ¤ [Talk] 09:50, 3 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Yes because 32 doesn't reference the conditions that it would attack and 26 simply reference it using its claws not the rearing up part. LittleJerry (talk) 16:34, 3 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Okay. Axl ¤ [Talk] 17:34, 3 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]

From "Behavior and ecology", subsection "Reproduction and parenting", paragraph 2: "The mother carries its pup on its back for up to a year.... young anteaters usually become independent by nine or ten months." These two statements seem to be contradictory. Axl ¤ [Talk] 09:54, 3 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 16:34, 3 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  • Support, but two things:
  • This sentence bothers me: "The species is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, due to the number of regional extirpations, and under Appendix II by CITES." I think the intention is that the reader is meant to interpret it "...and [listed as] under Appendix II by CITES", but it doesn't read well. Also, the reader isn't given a clue as to what this means, whereas for the IUCN listing we have a clue because of the word "Vulnerable". Maybe try "...and listed under Appendix II by CITES, tightly restricting trade in specimens of the animal."?
  • What are "slowing circles"?? hamiltonstone (talk) 11:45, 27 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Both have been fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 18:31, 27 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

  • Support - I've been following this article since I reviewed it for GA. Since then it has improved through peer review and copy editing. I've read it through several times, copy editing at times, and think it's a most engaging article, very clearly and concisely written. It complies with all the FA criteria, I believe. Great illustrations and descriptions. I really get a feel for what this animal about, which admittedly I didn't have before. MathewTownsend (talk) 18:42, 27 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]


The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
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