|
Megalonychidae:
The two extant species of two-toed sloths are Linnaeus's and Hoffmann's Two-toed Sloth. However, the name "two-toed" for these sloths is a misnomer as they both have three toes; they only have two fingers, though. They are the only members of the genus Choloepus and the only living members of the family Megalonychidae. They are very closely related to the somewhat smaller and generally faster moving three-toed sloths. 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. Two-toed sloths have a gestation period of about 10 months. Birth is given while the mother hangs up-side down. The babys are born with claws. Two-toed sloths spend most of their life hanging from trees. They are somewhat more active than three-toed sloths. Their body temperature depends on the temperature around it; they cannot shiver to keep warm, so it is very dependent on its surroundings. They eat fruits, nuts, berries, bark, and occasionally small rodents. Food can take up to a month to digest due to the slow metabolism of the sloth. |
