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This conversation between intelligent people (¬ ¬ U) with my sister was what prompted me to write the first entry biolofriki post-Amazon, so get ready here goes: Sloths
Pilosa order placental mammals, with two species coexist in the Brazilian Amazon environmental Solimoes: Family
Bradypodidae - Bradypus tridactylus (Three-toed sloth - Preguiça Bentinho)
Family Megalonychidae - Choloepus hoffmanni (Two-toed sloth - real Preguiça)
3 fingers sloths are animals of 50-75 cm (5-6 cm + tail), which can weigh about 4 - 4.5 kg. Are classified as folivores, that is, their diet consists mainly of leaves, shoots, and some fruits. Among the wide variety of tree species that have to choose, usually prefer the leaves of embaúba,
common name for several species of the genus Cecropia trees. As a curiosity, embaúba is also known as "da preguiça árvore (tree sloth), given the frequency with which these animals are related to these tree species.
Because of their diet have a large and complex stomach, and digestion aided by symbiotic bacteria, according to Wikipedia can last a month or more (anyone can confirm that? I think a lot!).
In terms of habitat and distribution, these animals occupy the top of the tops of the trees in the rainforests of South America and, albeit slowly, you can get to move a lot. They are quite clumsy on land but swim moderately well, and have been seen swimming across rivers. Distribution occupies territory of Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Guyana and French Guyana.
The morphology of these animals is quite curious ... speaking clearly, are rare. Rounded head and almost indistinct a rather long and flexible neck (cervical vertebrae with 9). The forelegs are longer than the later, the body is short and has a small tail (absent in Choloepus hoffmanni). The coat, thick, dense and long, protects from rain and insect attacks. In addition, as a curiosity, growing from the back to the previous one, as these animals are often hung from trees upside down, and so when it rains, the water slides down the wet hair and less.
These animals are light brown and the male is distinguished by spots headphones oranges and orange strip on the back also. Females may have Headphones patches of paler orange, but in general are fairly uniform color.
regard to reproduction, is thought to occur throughout the year, although it is common for babies born at the beginning of the dry season. The gestation period is 4 to 6 months. At birth, the calf is fully dependent on the mother, and spends about 8 months hugging her until she finally "independent."
Because little energy from your diet, sloths move little and slowly and can take up to 20 hours a day sleeping or resting. They are usually active during the day, but can also occur nightlife. It's a mistake to believe that sloths spend their entire lives upside down. Even if they are usually during feeding or moving, they are also often seen going up or down the trunk of a tree (vertical) or sitting in a fork between two branches, such as when sleeping. As for social life, except mothers with cubs, sloths are solitary animals so that they can react aggressively if placed together in captivity.
Its main natural predators are
the jaguar (Pantera onca )
Familia Leopardus: Gato-do-mato ( Leopardus tigrinus) y Gato-maracajá ( Leopardus wiedii)
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