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Cited by 92Physiological and biochemical adaptationsWildlife Ecology and ConservationPrimate Behavior and Ecology

Field Metabolic Rate, Water Flux, and Food Consumption in Three-Toed Sloths (Bradypus variegatus)

Nagy, K. A., Montgomery, G. G.·1980·Journal of Mammalogy
DOI 10.2307/1379840
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Abstract

Metabolic rates (CO2 production) and water fluxes were measured using doubly labeled water in free-living three-toed sloths (Bradypus variegatus) on Barro Colorado Island, Panama Canal Zone. Feeding rates were calculated from metabolic rates using natural tracer estimates of energy assimilation efficiency. Field metabolic rates averaged about 147 kj (kg day)−1 and did not differ significantly among nonre-productive females, lactating females, and males. This rate is only about 74% of the predicted mammalian basal metabolic rate, but is about 1.8 times the actual basal rate of these animals. Field water fluxes, ca. 38 ml h2O (kg day)−1, were also comparatively low and can be accounted for by dietary water input and metabolic water production alone. This indicates that sloths probably did not drink, even though rain fell during the study. The two lactating females allocated 5% and 11% of their water and assimilable energy intake, respectively, to producing milk for their offspring. We estimate that a 4-kg sloth consumes 60 g dry mass of food per day, and that the three-toed sloths on Barro Colorado Island eat 138 kg dry mass of food per ha per year. This is about 2% of the yearly leaf production.

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Crossref · 10.2307/1379840

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  • Decreased basal metabolism has previously been reported in other low-DEE species including sloths and aardwolves.

    “Decreased basal metabolism has previously been reported in other low-DEE species including sloths and aardwolves (4, 22, 23).”

    From Metabolic adaptation for low energy throughput in orangutans. (2010) · cites this paper as [22]

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Authors
Nagy, K. A., & Montgomery, G. G.
Affiliations
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (PA)
Venue
Journal of Mammalogy
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Published
1980-08-20
Volume
61
Issue
3
Pages
465-472
ISSN
  • 0022-2372 (ISSN-L)
  • 1545-1542
DOI
10.2307/1379840
OpenAlex
W1970919862
Cited by
92
References
27
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 6 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 5
FWCI
1.39
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
Journal of Mammalogy (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Physiological and biochemical adaptations
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Primate Behavior and Ecology
Keywords
three-toed sloth, Bradypus variegatus, field metabolic rate, water flux, dietary intake, lactation, basal metabolic rate, metabolic water production, dietary water intake, foraging rate, leaf consumption, Barro Colorado Island

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