Species in mammal order Pilosa
Pilosa species of different families; from top-left, clockwise:
silky anteater (Cyclopes didactylus ),
giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla ),
pale-throated sloth (Bradypus tridactylus ),
Linnaeus's two-toed sloth (Choloepus didactylus )
Pilosa is an
order of
placental
mammals . Members of this order are called pilosans, and include
anteaters and
sloths . They are found in South and Central America, generally in forests, though some species are found in
shrublands ,
grasslands , and
savannas . Pilosans primarily eat insects and leaves. They range in size from the
silky anteater , at 36 cm (14 in) plus a 18 cm (7 in) tail, to the
giant anteater , at 120 cm (47 in) plus a 90 cm (35 in) tail. No pilosans have population estimates, but the
pygmy three-toed sloth is categorized as
critically endangered .
The twelve
extant species of Pilosa are divided into two
suborders :
Folivora , the sloths, and
Vermilingua , the anteaters. Folivora contains two
families :
Bradypodidae , containing four species in one
genus ; and
Choloepodidae , containing two species in one genus. Vermilingua also contains two families:
Cyclopedidae , containing a single species, and
Myrmecophagidae , containing three species in two genera. Dozens of extinct prehistoric pilosan species have been discovered, though due to ongoing research and discoveries the exact number and categorization is not fixed.
[1]
Conventions
Conservation status codes listed follow the
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
Red List of Threatened Species . Range maps are provided wherever possible; if a range map is not available, a description of the pilosan's range is provided. Ranges are based on the IUCN Red List for that species unless otherwise noted. All extinct species or subspecies listed alongside extant species went extinct after 1500 CE, and are indicated by a
dagger symbol "†".
Classification
The
order
Pilosa consists of twelve extant species in two
suborders :
Folivora , the sloths, and
Vermilingua , the anteaters. Folivora contains two
families :
Bradypodidae , containing four species in one
genus ; and
Choloepodidae , containing two species in one genus. Vermilingua also contains two families:
Cyclopedidae , containing a single species, and
Myrmecophagidae , containing three species in two genera. Many of these species are further subdivided into subspecies. This does not include
hybrid species or extinct prehistoric species.
Pilosans
The following classification is based on the taxonomy described by the reference work
Mammal Species of the World (2005), with augmentation by generally accepted proposals made since using
molecular phylogenetic analysis , as supported by both the IUCN and the
American Society of Mammalogists .
[4]
Suborder Folivora
Bradypodidae
Genus
Bradypus –
Linnaeus , 1758 – four species
Common name
Scientific name and subspecies
Range
Size and ecology
IUCN status and estimated population
Brown-throated sloth
B. variegatus
Schinz , 1825
B. v. boliviensis
B. v. brasiliensis
B. v. ephippiger
B. v. gorgon
B. v. infuscatus
B. v. trivittatus
B. v. variegatus
Central America and northern South America
Size : 42–80 cm (17–31 in) long, plus 2–9 cm (1–4 in) tail
[5] Habitat : Forest
[6] Diet : Leaves, flowers, and fruit of
Cecropia trees
[7]
LC
Unknown
[6]
Maned sloth
B. torquatus
Illiger , 1811
Eastern South America
Size : 45–50 cm (18–20 in) long, plus 4–5 cm (2 in) tail
[8] Habitat : Forest
[9] Diet : Leaves
[8]
VU
Unknown
[9]
Pale-throated sloth
B. tridactylus
Linnaeus , 1758
Northern South America
Size : 45–75 cm (18–30 in) long, plus 4–6 cm (2 in) tail
[10] Habitat : Forest
[11] Diet : Twigs, buds, and leaves of Cecropia trees
[12]
LC
Unknown
[11]
Pygmy three-toed sloth
B. pygmaeus
Anderson ,
Handley , 2001
Isla Escudo de Veraguas in
Panama
Size : 48–53 cm (19–21 in) long, plus 4–6 cm (2 in) tail
[13] Habitat : Forest
[14] Diet : Leaves
[15]
CR
Unknown
[14]
Choloepodidae
Genus
Choloepus –
Illiger , 1811 – two species
Common name
Scientific name and subspecies
Range
Size and ecology
IUCN status and estimated population
Hoffmann's two-toed sloth
C. hoffmanni
Peters , 1858
C. h. capitalis
C. h. florenciae
C. h. hoffmanni
C. h. juruanus
C. h. pallescens
Central America and northern and western South America
Size : 54–72 cm (21–28 in) long, plus 1–3 cm (1 in) tail
[16] Habitat : Forest, shrubland, and grassland
[17] Diet : Leaves, as well as buds, twigs, shoots, fruits, and flowers
[18]
LC
Unknown
[17]
Linnaeus's two-toed sloth
C. didactylus (
Linnaeus , 1758)
Northern South America
Size : 60–86 cm (24–34 in) long, plus 1–2 cm (1 in) tail
[19] Habitat : Forest
[20] Diet : Berries, leaves, small twigs, and fruit, as well as insects
[21]
LC
Unknown
[20]
Suborder Vermilingua
Cyclopedidae
Genus
Cyclopes –
Gray , 1821 – one species
Common name
Scientific name and subspecies
Range
Size and ecology
IUCN status and estimated population
Silky anteater
C. didactylus (
Linnaeus , 1758)
C. d. catellus
C. d. didactylus
C. d. dorsalis
C. d. eva
C. d. ida
C. d. melini
C. d. mexicanus
Central America and northern and eastern South America
Size : 36–45 cm (14–18 in) long, plus 18–27 cm (7–11 in) tail
[22] Habitat : Forest
[23] Diet : Ants and termites
[24]
LC
Unknown
[23]
Myrmecophagidae
Genus
Myrmecophaga –
Linnaeus , 1758 – one species
Common name
Scientific name and subspecies
Range
Size and ecology
IUCN status and estimated population
Giant anteater
M. tridactyla
Linnaeus , 1758
M. t. artata
M. t. centralis
M. t. tridactyla
Central America and South America (former range in red)
Size : 100–120 cm (39–47 in) long, plus 65–90 cm (26–35 in) tail
[25] Habitat : Forest, savanna, shrubland, and grassland
[26] Diet : Ants, termites, and soft-bodied grubs
[25]
VU
Unknown
[26]
Genus
Tamandua –
Gray , 1825 – two species
Common name
Scientific name and subspecies
Range
Size and ecology
IUCN status and estimated population
Northern tamandua
T. mexicana (
Saussure , 1860)
T. m. instabilis
T. m. mexicana
T. m. opistholeuca
T. m. punensis
Central America and northern South America
Size : 47–77 cm (19–30 in) long, plus 40–68 cm (16–27 in) tail
[27] Habitat : Forest and savanna
[28] Diet : Ants and termites
[27]
LC
Unknown
[28]
Southern tamandua
T. tetradactyla (
Linnaeus , 1758)
T. t. nigra
T. t. quichua
T. t. straminea
T. t. tetradactyla
South America
Size : 53–88 cm (21–35 in) long, plus 40–59 cm (16–23 in) tail
[29] Habitat : Forest, savanna, and shrubland
[30] Diet : Ants and termites, as well as bees and honey
[30]
LC
Unknown
[30]
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a
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^
a
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^
a
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a
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