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)

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.

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

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

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.

Pilosans

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

Main article: Folivora

Bradypodidae

Main article: Bradypodidae

Genus Bradypus – Linnaeus, 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

Main article: Choloepodidae

Genus Choloepus – Illiger, 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

Main article: Vermilingua

Cyclopedidae

Main article: Cyclopedidae

Genus Cyclopes – Gray, 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

Main article: Myrmecophagidae

Genus Myrmecophaga – Linnaeus, 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 Tamandua – Gray, 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

Sources