Bradypodidae
Bradypodidae (tree sloths; infra-order Pilosa, superfamily Bradypodoidea) A family of toothless mammals that are fully adapted for arboreal life and unable to walk on the ground; they use their limbs to hang upside-down from branches. The head is short and rounded. They are not actually toothless, but the five teeth have no enamel and by growing continuously provide a grinding surface. The fore limbs are longer than the hind limbs, the digits bearing hooked claws used in hanging. The tail is short. The fur is long, coarse, and grooved; cyanobacteria grow in the grooves, giving the animals a greenish colour. There are six cervical vertebrae in Choloepus, nine in Bradypus. The stomach is large and chambered, the rectum very large, retaining faeces for several days. All movements are slow. The body temperature is low and variable, sloths neither shivering nor sweating, but dying from hypothermia at temperatures below 4°C. They are distributed throughout the forests of tropical America. There are two genera, and five species.
More From encyclopedia.com
Freshwater Ecosystems , Biome
A biome is a large geographical area characterized by a distinct climate and soil as well as particular kinds of plants and animals. Biologists… Body Temperature , Temperature is a measure of an organism’s ability to generate and get rid of heat. The human body has mechanisms to maintain its internal temperature… Thermometer , A thermometer is a device that registers the temperature of a substance relative to some agreed upon standard. Thermometers use changes in the physic… Ovenbird , Furnariidae (ovenbirds, spinetails; class Aves, order Passeriformes) A very diverse family of small to medium-sized, brown and rufous birds, some str… Isotherm , Isotherm
Isotherms are lines that connect points of equal temperature on weather maps, so at every point along a given isotherm the temperature value… Temperature , In everyday terms, temperature is a measure of the "hotness" or "coldness" of a substance. More technically, temperature indicates the direction in w…
You Might Also Like
NEARBY TERMS
Bradypodidae