The Order Zenarthra

AnteatersArmadillos

Sloths

Eutherian Mammals – formerly belonging to the order Endata.

By Gerri Jesse

Members of the mammalian order Edentata include:

31 living species of armadillos, true anteaters, and tree sloths.

8 families of extinct ground sloths, and armadillo-like animals.

Both groups together make up the sub-order Xenarthra.

Xenarthrans are a small group of insectivores and herbivores.

Body size is small to medium, up to 60 kg (about 132 lbs).

Used to be much more diverse and numerous.

Giant Anteater, Myrmecophaga tridactyla

Giant Anteater Classification & Facts

ScientificKingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataClass: MammaliaOrder: EndataSuborder: XenarthraFamily:MyrmecophagidaeGenus:MyrmecophagaLinnaeus, 1758Species: M. tridactyla

Facts:Body length: 40 – 48

inches.Height: 28 – 35 inches.Weight: 60 – 140 pounds.Life span: 15 years/wild,Up to 26 years in a zoo.

With and without the fur coat.

Genus Myrmecophaga Giant Anteater Anteater skeleton

Pup loves piggyback rides from Mom.

Species name of the Giant Anteater is:tridactyla which means “three fingers.”

Geographic Giant Anteater Range

• The IUCN classification is vulnerable (lower risk).

• South America hosts the majority of today’s surviving groups of Xenarthrans.

• San Diego zoo.• 5,000 Giant Anteaters left

in wild, hunting and habitat loss.

TAMANDUA – Lesser Anteater - Tamandua tetradactyla

SILKY – or Pygmy Anteater – Cyclopes didactylus

Also know as “stinkers of the forest.”

Armadillos

Armadillos Classification and Facts

Class: Mammalia Order: CingulataFamily: DasypodidaeGenus: 8 generaSpecies: 20 species

Body length: smallest 3 -5 inches, largest 39 inches.

Weight: 8 ounces to 132 pounds.

Life span: 4 – 30 years.

Gestation: 60 – 150 days.

Pups: 1 – 12 in litter.

Maturity: 9 – 12 months of age.

Studies show within Xenarthra,

sloths and anteaters are united,

with the suborder Pilosa as a

sister group to armadillos.

Nine-banded or Long-nosed Armadillo - Genus Dasypus.

Pink Fairy Armadillo – Genus Chlamyphorus.

The only armadillo found in the United States – six species.

The smallest armadillo - one species.

Armadillo Skeleton

Hairy Armadillo Skull

OF THE 20 SPECIES OF ARMADILLOS, ALL ARE FOUND IN THE AMERICAS, MOST LIVE IN CENTRAL OR SOUTH AMERICA.

Giant Armadillo Genus Priodontes: The largest armadillo - One species.

Hairy Armadillos Genus Chaetophractus -Three species. (Screaming Hairy!)

Six-banded Armadillo Genus Euphractus - One species.

Greater Fairy Armadillo Genus Calyptophractus - One species.

Three-banded Armadillos Genus Tolypeutes: The only armadillos that can roll up in a ball - Two species.

Naked-tailed Armadillos Genus Cabassous - Four species.

Pichi or Dwarf Armadillo Genus Zaedyus - One species.

BODY SIZE & FOOD SOURCE VARIES – SO DOES HABITAT AND HOME RANGE.

Sloths

Sloth ClassificationClass: Mammalia

Order: Pilosa

Family: Megalonychidae

Genus: Choloepus

Species:

hoffmanni (Hoffman’s) didactylus ( Linnaeus’)

FUN FACTS

• Grooved hair allows water to run off & algae to grow there.

• Camouflages in forest.• Sloths nibble on algae for

added greens.• Does everything hanging

upside down.• Comes to ground once a

week to use the bathroom.

Sloths are:

Slow-moving.

Solitary.

Arboreal, forest-dwelling.

Nocturnal.

Herbivores.

Great swimmers, doing

the breaststroke.

Found asleep in a ball in

the fork of a tree.

3-Toed Sloth3 Claws on front and back feet.

IUCN Range Maps of the SlothBoth listed as Least Concern/Vulnerable

Linnaeus’Hoffman’s

Matsés Tribe & the Pelejo

• The Two-toed Sloth (pelejo, in Spanish) is a familiar pet in the homes.

• Often hunted and part of their cuisine.

• Important during the Ceremony of Comoc (the singers) and Ceremony of Mariwin.

Babies hang on to mom for a few months.Dangers to sloths include habitat

destruction, logging trucks, and poaching.

Order Edentata

(2 suborders, 2 infraorders, 12+ families, 17+ genera, 36+ species) Anteaters, Armadillos

Suborder Palaeanodonta (2+ families)

Family Mertacheiromyidae Genus Metacheiromys

Family Epoicotheriidae

Suborder Xenarthra (3 infraorders, 9+ families, 16+ genera, 35+ species)

Infraorder Loricata

Family Dasypodidae (9 genera, 20 species)

Armadillo Genus Burmeisteria Burmeisteria retusa.

Burmeister's Armadillo Genus Chaetophractus Chaetophractus villosus

Hairy Armadillo or Peludo Genus Chlamyphorus Chlamyphorus truncatus

Pink Fairy Armadillo Genus Tolypeutes

Three-banded Armadillos Genus EuphractusGenus Dasypus

Nine-banded Armadillos Dasypus novemcinctus Genus Priodontes Priodontes

Giganteus

Giant Armadillo Genus Zaedyus Zaedyus pichi

Pichi Family Peltephilidae Family Glyptodontidae

Glyptodonts Genus Doedicurus Doedicurus clavicaudatus Genus Glyptodon

Pilosa Family Orophodontidae Family Megalonychidae Ground Sloths Family Megatherlidae

Ground Sloths Family Mylodontidae Ground Sloths Family Bradypodidae (6 species) Tree Sloth

Genus Bradypus (4 species) Three-toed Sloths Genus Choloepus (2 species) Two-toed Sloth

Infraorder Vermilingua

Family Myrmecophagidae (4 species) Anteater Genus Myrmecophaga Myrmecophaga tridactyla

Giant Anteater Genus Tamandua Lesser Anteater Genus Cyclopes Cyclopes didactylus Two-toed

Anteater

Works Cited

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2011.

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Mar. 2011.

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