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Two-toed sloths; Fossil range: 35–0 Ma PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N Early Oligocene to Recent
	Linnaeus's Two-toed Sloth (Choloepus didactylus)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia;
Phylum:	Chordata;
Class:	Mammalia;
Superorder:	Xenarthra;
Order:	Pilosa;
Suborder:	Folivora;
Family:	Megalonychidae;
Genus:	Choloepus; Linnaeus, 1758
Species
	Choloepus didactylus; Choloepus hoffmanni;

Choloepus is a genus of mammals within the family Megalonychidae consisting of two-toed sloths.^[1] There are only two species of Choloepus (which name means "lame foot"^[2]): Linnaeus's Two-toed Sloth (Choloepus didactylus) and Hoffmann's Two-toed Sloth (Choloepus hoffmanni). These two species are the only members of the family Megalonychidae.^[3]

Although similar to the somewhat smaller and generally slower moving three-toed sloths (Bradypus), there is not a close relationship between the two genera. Both types tend to occupy the same forests: in most areas, a particular single species of three-toed sloth and a single species of the larger two-toed type will jointly predominate.

[edit] Characteristics

As the name implies, they have only two toes on their forefeet, although, like other sloths, they have three toes on the hindfeet. They are also larger than three-toed sloths, having a body length of between 58 and 70 centimetres, and weighing 4-8 kilograms. Other distinguishing features include a more prominent snout, longer fur, and the absence of a tail.^[4]

Young C. hoffmanni being raised in a wildlife rescue center in the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica.

Two-toed sloths have a gestation period of between six months and a year, depending on the exact species. The mother gives birth to a single young, while hanging up-side down. The young are born with claws, and are weaned after about a month, although they will remain with the mother for several more months, and do not reach sexual maturity until the age of 3 years, in the case of females, or 4-5 years, in the case of males.

Two-toed sloths spend most of their life hanging from trees, and are generally nocturnal animals. They are somewhat more active than three-toed sloths.^{[citation needed]} Their body temperature depends at least partially on the ambient temperature; they cannot shiver to keep warm, as other mammals do, because of their unusually low metabolic rates and reduced musculature.^[4] Two-toed sloths also differ from three-toed in their climbing behaviors, preferring to descend head first.

They eat primarily leaves, but also shoots, fruits, nuts, berries, bark, and occasionally small rodents.^[3] They have large stomachs, with multiple chambers, which help to ferment the large amount of plant matter that they eat. Food can take up to a month to digest due to their slow metabolism.^[4] Depending on when in the excretion cycle a sloth is weighed, urine and feces may account for up to 30 percent of the animal’s body weight, which averages about 6 kilograms (about 13 pounds).^[5] They have a reduced, ever growing dentition, with no incisors or true canines, and which overall lacks homology with the dental formula of other mammals. Their first tooth is very canine-like in shape and is referred to as a caniniform. It is separated from the other teeth, or molariforms, by a diastema. The dental formula of two-toed sloths is: $Upper: 4 / Lower: 5$

[edit] References

Wikispecies has information related to: Choloepus

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Choloepus hoffmanni

^ http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Choloepus
^ http://www.sloth-world.org/Chloepus.html
^ ^a ^b Myers, Phil (2001). "Family Megalonychidae: two-toed sloths". Animal Diversity Web. University of Michigan. http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Megalonychidae.html. Retrieved 2009-09-14.
^ ^a ^b ^c Dickman, Christopher R. (1984). Macdonald, D.. ed. The Encyclopedia of Mammals. New York: Facts on File. pp. 776–779. ISBN 0-87196-871-1.
^ 30% body weight

Linneaus (1758): Systema naturae perregna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species cum characteribus, differentiis, syonymis, locis. Laurentii Salvi, 824pp.

[edit] External links

[0] ttp://www.thefreedictionary.com/Choloepus

[1] ttp://www.sloth-world.org/Chloepus.html

[ADW-2] Myers, Phil (2001). "Family Megalonychidae: two-toed sloths". Animal Diversity Web. University of Michigan. http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Megalonychidae.html. Retrieved 2009-09-14.

[EoM-3] Dickman, Christopher R. (1984). Macdonald, D.. ed. The Encyclopedia of Mammals. New York: Facts on File. pp. 776–779. ISBN 0-87196-871-1.

[4] 30% body weight

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