Table of Contents
Overview
Distribution
Range Description
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Geographic Range
Found in the tropical forest canopies of Central America and northern South America, including portions of Brazil and Peru.
Biogeographic Regions: neotropical (Native )
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Physical Description
Morphology
Physical Description
Two-toed sloths have been called the slowest animals on earth. Ranging in length from 21 to 29 inches, Choloepus didactylus is roughly the size and shape of a small dog. The body is composed of a short neck (only 6-7 vertebrae) with four long limbs of equal length, ending in two curved claws. The head is short and flat, with a snub nose, rudimentary ears, and large eyes.
Choloepus didactylus are covered in long brownish-grey hair that curves from stomach to back, opposite that of most mammals. A unique feature of this fur is that each strand has grooves which collect algae, giving the sloth a greenish tint and camouflaging it from predators.
The teeth of the two-toed sloth are small, simple molars that are continously growing but constantly ground down by the mastication of food. To compensate for a lack of sharp teeth, Choloepus didactylus has hardened lips which act to shear and crop leaves.
Range mass: 4 to 8 kg.
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Ecology
Habitat
Habitat and Ecology
Systems
- Terrestrial
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Habitat
Choloepus didactylus is strictly arboreal, staying high in the canopy of the tropical rain forests, and maintaining a range of about 10-acres.
Terrestrial Biomes: rainforest
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Trophic Strategy
Food Habits
Choloepus didactylus feed primarily on vegetation, including berries, leaves, small twigs, and fruits, cropping the leaves with their lips. On occasion sloths have been known to eat insects and other small prey. They obtain water from vegetation and by lapping dew.
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Life History and Behavior
Life Expectancy
Lifespan/Longevity
Average lifespan
Status: captivity: 27.8 years.
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Lifespan, longevity, and ageing
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Reproduction
Reproduction
Females of this species of sloth reach sexual maturity at 3 years of age, males reach sexual maturity between 4 and 5. After a gestation period of six months, females give birth to one offspring each year. When the young are born they are 10 inches in length and weigh 12 ounces. They cling to their mother's belly for 5 weeks until they have the strength to move on their own.
Average birth mass: 356 g.
Average gestation period: 279 days.
Average number of offspring: 1.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male)
Sex: male: 1644 days.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female)
Sex: female: 1279 days.
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Molecular Biology and Genetics
Molecular Biology
Barcode data: Choloepus didactylus
There is 1 barcode sequence available from BOLD and GenBank. Below is the sequence of the barcode region Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI or COX1) from a member of the species. See the BOLD taxonomy browser for more complete information about this specimen. Other sequences that do not yet meet barcode criteria may also be available.
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Download FASTA File
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Statistics of barcoding coverage: Choloepus didactylus
Public Records: 1
Species: 2
Species With Barcodes: 1
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Conservation
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List Assessment
Red List Category
Red List Criteria
Version
Year Assessed
Assessor/s
Reviewer/s
Contributor/s
Justification
History
- 2006Least Concern(IUCN 2006)
- 1996Data Deficient
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Conservation Status
Two-toed sloths are in serious danger of losing their habitat due to logging of rain forests. Aside from captive animals, this is the only area in the world in which this species lives. Several organizations are currently working to protect these areas.
US Federal List: threatened
CITES: no special status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern
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Trends
Population
Population Trend
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Threats
Threats
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Management
Conservation Actions
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Relevance to Humans and Ecosystems
Benefits
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
There is no direct negative effect of sloths on humans.
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Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
Two-toed sloths are a valuable food source and are often hunted for their meat.
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Wikipedia
Linnaeus's Two-toed Sloth
Linnaeus's two-toed sloth (Choloepus didactylus), also known as the Southern two-toed sloth or unau, is a species of sloth from South America, found in Venezuela, the Guyanas, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Brazil north of the Amazon River.
It is a solitary, nocturnal and arboreal animal, found in rainforests. It is able to swim, making it possible to cross rivers and creeks. The two-toed sloth's main enemies are man, large birds of prey like the Harpy Eagle and Crested Eagle, and cats like the Ocelot.
Modern sloths are divided into two families based on the number of toes on their front feet. Linnaeus's two-toed sloth and Hoffmann's two-toed sloth (Choloepus hoffmanni) are larger than their three-toed cousins. They also have longer hair, bigger eyes, and their back and front legs are more equal in length.[3]
Linnaeus's two-toed sloth has recently been documented eating human faeces from open latrines.[4]
References
- ^ Gardner, Alfred (16 November 2005). Wilson, Don E., and Reeder, DeeAnn M., eds. ed. Mammal Species of the World (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2 vols. (2142 pp.). pp. 101. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494. http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3/browse.asp?id=11800018.
- ^ Meritt, M. & Members of the IUCN SSC Edentate Specialist Group (2008). Choloepus didactylus. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 1 December 2008.
- ^ http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Publications/ZooGoer/2004/6/sloths.cfm
- ^ Heymann, E. W., Flores Amasifuén, C., Shahuano Tello, N., Tirado Herrera, E. T. & Stojan-Dolar, M (2010). "Disgusting appetite: Two-toed sloths feeding in human latrines". Mammalian Biology. doi:10.1016/j.mambio.2010.03.003.
- Louise H. Emmons and Francois Feer, 1997 - Neotropical Rainforest Mammals, A Field Guide.
Gallery
 1883 painting |  Choelopus didactylus at Buffalo Zoo |
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