Friday, March 16, 2012

Maned three-toed sloth (Bradypus torquatus)

The maned three-toed sloth is the rarest of the five sloth species and is only found in Brazil (3). The name refers to its black mane of hairs, each up to 15 centimeters long, running down the back of its neck and over the shoulders (2). Like other sloths it has long limbs, a short body and a stumpy tail (2). The head is round, with a flat face and small ears hidden in the fur. Its fur is coarse, long and shaggy, and grows in the opposite direction to most mammals; from the stomach to the back. The cream and tan coloured coat is usually tinged green from the blue-green algae that live in grooves in the hair, providing great camouflage for the sloth in the trees (3).

The reference in the name to three-toes is misleading; all species of sloth actually have three toes on the hind limbs, but they are grouped into two genera which can be distinguished by the number of fingers on the forearm. The two-fingered forms are known as two-toed sloths, and the three-fingered forms are called the three-toed sloths (3). These digits end in curved claws, measuring up to 4 inches long and are ideally shaped to hook around tree branches. Three-toed sloths also have an elongated neck due to an additional vertebra. This allows more flexible movement of the head and enables them to gaze at their surroundings in a 270 degree arc (3).

ARKive video - Maned three-toed sloth - overview

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