NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
Pale-throated Sloth
Bradypus tridactylus Linnaeus, 1758
Source-backed taxonomic record
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
The pale-throated sloth (Bradypus tridactylus), occasionally known as the ai (), is a species of three-toed sloth that inhabits tropical rainforests in northern South America.
It is similar in appearance to, and often confused with, the brown-throated sloth, which has a much wider distribution. Genetic evidence has been interpreted to suggest the two species diverged only around 400,000 years ago, although the most recent evidence indicates the split was closer to 6 million years.
Wikipedia contributors, Pale-throated sloth; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T07:36:06.552709+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Bradypus tridactylus Linnaeus, 1758
- Name authority
- Linnaeus, 1758
- Common name
- Pale-throated Sloth
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammalia
- Order
- Pilosa
- Family
- Bradypodidae
- Genus
- Bradypus
- Extinction status
- Recorded extant
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- megaclassTetrapoda
- classMammalia Linnaeus, 1758
- subclassTheria Parker & Haswell, 1897
- infraclassEutheria Gill, 1872
- orderPilosa Flower, 1883
- suborderFolivora Delsuc, Catzeflis, Stanhope & Douzery, 2001
- familyBradypodidae Gray, 1821
- genusBradypus Linnaeus, 1758
- speciesBradypus tridactylus Linnaeus, 1758
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Bradypus. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Brown-throated SlothBradypus variegatus Schinz, 1825 | BradypodidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Pygmy Three-toed SlothBradypus pygmaeus Anderson & Handley, 2001 | BradypodidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
Names & synonyms
Names explicitly linked to this accepted taxon in the source. Synonymy can change with revision.
| Recorded name | Source status |
|---|---|
| Bradypus gularis Rüppell, 1842 Rüppell, 1842 | synonym |
| Arctopithecus flaccidus dysonii Gray, 1869 Gray, 1869 | synonym |
| Acheus ai Lesson, 1827 Lesson, 1827 | synonym |
| Arctopithecus flaccidus smithii Gray, 1869 Gray, 1869 | synonym |
| Bradypus cuculliger Wagler, 1831 Wagler, 1831 | synonym |
| Bradypus cummunis Lesson, 1841 Lesson, 1841 | synonym |
| Arctopithecus blainvillii Gray, 1850 Gray, 1850 | synonym |
| Arctopithecus flaccidus Gray, 1850 Gray, 1850 | synonym |
Documented distribution
Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=624887 Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:N5F3. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.