Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth

Taxobox
name = Brown-throated Three-toed SlothMSW3 Gardner|pages=100-101|id=11800008]
status = LC
status_system = iucn3.1
status_ref = IUCN2006|assessors=Chiarello & members of the Edentate Specialist Group|year=2006|id=3038|title=Bradypus variegatus|downloaded=11 May 2006 Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern]
trend = unknown

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image_width = 200px
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Mammalia
ordo = Pilosa
familia = Bradypodidae
genus = "Bradypus"
species = "B. variegatus"
range_

range_map_caption=Range map in green
binomial = "Bradypus variegatus"
binomial_authority = Schinz, 1825

The Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth, "Bradypus variegatus", is a species of sloth from Central and South America.

It is the most widespread and common species of the group, being found in many different kinds of environments, including evergreen and dry forests and in highly perturbed natural areas.

It is a solitary, nocturnal and diurnal animal, feeding on leaves of many species of trees.

The female of the species is known to emit a loud, shrill scream during the mating season to attract males. It is a cry that sounds like "ay ay". This scream has been remarked to sound exactly like that of a woman screaming.

The sloth has grayish brown to beige color fur and it is very coarse and stiff. A sloth has a round head and on it there are two eyes, a blunt nose, peg-like teeth, and ears that are not visible. The tail of a sloth is very small.

Over parts of its range, the Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth overlaps the range of Hoffmann's Two-toed Sloth. Where this overlap occurs, the three-toed sloth tends to be smaller and more numerous than its relative, being more active in moving through the forest and maintaining more diurnal activity. [citebook|title=The Encyclopedia of Mammals|editor=Macdonald, David|author=Dickman, Chris|year=1993|page=777]

Subspecies

There are seven subspecies of this sloth:
*"Bradypus variegatus boliviensis", Gray 1871
*"Bradypus variegatus brasiliensis", Blainville 1840
*"Bradypus variegatus ephippiger", Philippi 1870
*"Bradypus variegatus gorgon", Thomas 1827
*"Bradypus variegatus infuscatus", Wagler 1831
*"Bradypus variegatus trivittatus", Cornalia 1849
*"Bradypus variegatus variegatus", Schinz, 1825

References

*Louise H. Emmons and Francois Feer, 1997 - Neotropical Rainforest Mammals, A Field Guide.