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.

Four Pilosans
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)

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 edit

IUCN Red List categories
Conservation status
 EX Extinct (0 species)
 EW Extinct in the wild (0 species)
 CR Critically Endangered (1 species)
 EN Endangered (0 species)
 VU Vulnerable (2 species)
 NT Near threatened (0 species)
 LC Least concern (7 species)

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 edit

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.

Suborder Folivora

Suborder Vermilingua

Pilosa[2][3]  

Pilosans edit

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 edit

Bradypodidae edit

Genus BradypusLinnaeus, 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

Seven subspecies
  • 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 edit

Genus CholoepusIlliger, 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

Five subspecies
  • 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 edit

Cyclopedidae edit

Genus CyclopesGray, 1821 – one species
Common name Scientific name and subspecies Range Size and ecology IUCN status and estimated population
Silky anteater

 

C. didactylus
(Linnaeus, 1758)

Seven subspecies
  • 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 edit

Genus MyrmecophagaLinnaeus, 1758 – one species
Common name Scientific name and subspecies Range Size and ecology IUCN status and estimated population
Giant anteater

 

M. tridactyla
Linnaeus, 1758

Three subspecies
  • 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 TamanduaGray, 1825 – two species
Common name Scientific name and subspecies Range Size and ecology IUCN status and estimated population
Northern tamandua

 

T. mexicana
(Saussure, 1860)

Four subspecies
  • 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)

Four subspecies
  • 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]

References edit

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  2. ^ Presslee, S.; Slater, G. J.; Pujos, F.; Forasiepi, A. M.; Fischer, R.; Molloy, K.; Mackie, M.; Olsen, J. V.; Kramarz, A.; Taglioretti, M.; Scaglia, F.; Lezcano, M.; Lanata, J. L.; Southon, J.; Feranec, R.; Bloch, J.; Hajduk, A.; Martin, F. M.; Gismondi, R. S.; Reguero, M.; de Muizon, C.; Greenwood, A.; Chait, B. T.; Penkman, K.; Collins, M.; MacPhee, R.D.E. (2019). "Palaeoproteomics resolves sloth relationships" (PDF). Nature Ecology and Evolution. 3 (7): 1121–1130. doi:10.1038/s41559-019-0909-z. PMID 31171860. S2CID 174813630.
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  4. ^ Wilson, Reeder, pp. 100–103
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  19. ^ Eisenberg, Redford, Reid, Bonner (vol. 3), p. 97
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  22. ^ Eisenberg, Redford, Reid, Bonner (vol. 3), p. 91
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Sources edit