Morphological analysis of teeth in Bradypus variegatus Schinz, 1825 (Mammalia, Bradypodidae)

Abstract

Among the sloth species, we may highlight the Bradypus variegatus, found especially in northeastern Brazil. Given the importance and scarcity of information about the digestive tract of wild animals, this article aims to describe dental morphology in this sloth species. To do this, four adult specimens, belonging to the anatomy collection of the Academic Center in Vitória de Santo Antão of the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), were used. The sloth teeth were analyzed, removed from the arch, and they underwent two techniques for hard tissue histological preparation, wear, and decalcification. The blades obtained were analyzed using optical microscopes. Sloths have 18 molariform teeth, with cusps and interdental spaces. According to histological analysis, it was noticed that teeth have no enamel, they consist of 1 thick layer of cementum and 2 layers of dentin, one outside and another inside. The pulp looks like that of human beings. The presence of a thick and vascularized periodontal ligament was also noticed between the tooth and the alveolar bone, the latter with easily identified osteons.

Keywords

• Anatomical analysis
• Bradypus variegatus
• Histological description
• Tooth