The aardvark is not closely related to the pig; rather, it is the sole extant representative of the obscure mammalian order Tubulidentata in which it is usually considered to form one variable species of the genus Orycteropus, the sole surviving genus in the family Orycteropodidae. The aardvark is not closely related to the South American anteater, despite sharing some characteristics and a superficial resemblance. The similarities are based on convergent evolution.