Linnaeus's two-toed sloth

Linnaeus's two-toed sloth[1]
Conservation status

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[2]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Pilosa
Family: Megalonychidae
Genus: Choloepus
Species: C. didactylus
Binomial name
Choloepus didactylus
(Linnaeus, 1758) [3]
Linnaeus's two-toed sloth range
Synonyms

Bradypus didactylus Linnaeus, 1758

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 such as the harpy and crested eagles, and wild cats such as the ocelot and jaguar.

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 the three-toed sloths. They also have longer hair, bigger eyes, and their back and front legs are more equal in length.[4]

References

  1. ↑ Gardner, A. (2005). Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M, eds. Mammal Species of the World (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 101. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
  2. ↑ Plese, T. & Chiarello, A. (2011). "Choloepus didactylus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 18 January 2012.
  3. ↑ Linnæus, Carl (1758). Systema naturæ per regna tria naturæ, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I (in Latin) (10 ed.). Holmiæ: Laurentius Salvius. p. 35. Retrieved 23 November 2012.
  4. ↑ Stewart, Melissa (November–December 2004). "At the Zoo: Slow and Steady Sloths". Zoogoer. Smithsonian Institution. Archived from the original on 7 June 2011. Retrieved 23 November 2012.

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