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PILOSA

nicolepridemore Mammalogy English

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PILOSA

ALL NEOTROPICAL 
BRADYPODIDAE (1 genus, 4 species); three-toed sloths 
MEGALONYCHIDAE (1, 2); two-toed sloths 
CYCLOPEDIDAE (1, 1); silky anteater 
MYRNECOPHAGIDAE (2, 3); anteaters

characteristics
- sloths
  - no incisors or canines 
  - cheekteeth CYLINDRICAL; core of dentine but NO enamel 
  - anterior upper premolar is CANINIFORM, separated from other cheekteeth by diastema 
  - almost entirely ARBOREAL and FOLIVOROUS; descend to ground only to defecate every 4-7 days 
  - long-lived (>30 YEARS)
  - HETEROTHERMIC (24-33 degrees C) limits distribution 
  - several compartments to stomach; microfauna aid digestion, fermentation of leaves 
- anteaters
  - FULLY EDENTATE 
  - long tapered skulls with elongated rostrum, small mouth, long (600mm) skinny (13mm)
  - tongue anchored to STERNUM, viscous secretion, barb-like spines pointing posteriorly for ants 
  - long, sharp, powerful claws, middle enlarged 
  - total body and tail length = 2m up to 40kg (silky anteater is smaller - 400mm, 230g)
  - mostly TERRESTRIAL, but silky is TOTALLY ARBOREAL 
  - TAMANDUAS either diurnal OR nocturnal 
fossil history
- date back to PALEOCENE (54-65 mya)
- many extinct sloths much LARGER than current ones
- giant ground sloth weighed >2700kg (6000lbs), could reach up approximately 6 meters into trees  
- would have been present in SW U.S. up to about 11,000 mya
economics and conservation
- arboreal sloths reduced in numbers due to tropical forest loss
- giant anteater ENDANGERED

Description: Mammalogy (Mammal Survey) Mind Map on PILOSA, created by nicolepridemore on 24/02/2015.
Created by: nicolepridemore
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