three-toed sloth

References

Images & Videos

A juvenile three-toed sloth hangs from a tree branch surrounded by green leaves in Costa Rica.

A pale-throated sloth (Bradypus tridactylus) hangs from a tree branch, surrounded by green leaves in a tropical rainforest.

Observe the three-toed sloth eating foliage and moving about in its natural habitat, the tropical forest canopy

three-toed sloth

mammal

Also known as: Bradypodidae, ai

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The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Learn about this topic in these articles:

sloth
Three-toed sloths
The three-toed sloth (family Bradypodidae) is also called the ai in Latin America because of the high-pitched cry it produces when agitated. All four species belong to the same genus, Bradypus, and the coloration of their short facial hair bestows them with a…
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The three-toed sloth (family Bradypodidae) is also called the ai in Latin America because of the high-pitched cry it produces when agitated. All four species belong to the same genus, Bradypus, and the coloration of their short facial hair bestows them with a…
Read More

integument
Hair
In the three-toed sloth a microscopic alga grows between the cuticular scales of the hairs and appears to be symbiotic; its presence gives a curious greenish gray hue to the coat of the sloth and helps to disguise the animal among the trees.
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In the three-toed sloth a microscopic alga grows between the cuticular scales of the hairs and appears to be symbiotic; its presence gives a curious greenish gray hue to the coat of the sloth and helps to disguise the animal among the trees.
Read More