How do sloths see the world?

Ever wondered what those gorgeous dark eyes are seeing when a sloth looks out onto the world? Humans are generally trichromats; our retinas possess three types of photoreceptors for recognising colour (“cone” cells), each of which has a different absorption spectra.

Xenarthrans (sloths, armadillos and anteaters) however, are rod monochromats. This condition in humans results in colourblindness, low vision in dim light, and almost complete blindness in bright light.

A new study, published in The Royal Society Proceedings journal, used many different genetic methods to conclusively show that the Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth is a monochromat. Furthermore, they concluded that these sloths have a long history of monochromacy. Based on fossil records, this may be a result of a historically subterranean lifestyle (ground-dwelling), that preceded the arboreal lifestyle (tree-dwelling) they live today, and hence restricted their evolution due to the dim light conditions.

“We searched the genome of…Choloepus hoffmanni (Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth)…for retinal photoreceptor genes and examined them for inactivating mutations. We hypothesize that rod monochromacy…evolved as an adaptation to a subterranean habitat in the early history of Xenarthra. The presence of rod monochromacy has major implications for understanding xenarthran behavioural ecology and evolution.”

So when you look into a sloth’s eyes, what do they see when they look back at you? If it’s day time, probably a light grey, blurry figure. But let’s just pretend otherwise, shall we?

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Sloth Craft Boxes

I’m missing Summer Camp this year. Whilst I’m stuck at work (and two days in it’s already busy busy busy…), I’m imagining all the fun all the girls are having. Maybe one year one of the crafts should be cute little craft gift boxes like these li’l slothy ones!

sloth craft boxesFrom Amazon.

 

Goodbye to the Seaside

We are off home from the week by the sea. It’s been a lovely week of beaches, swimming, reading, watching movies, wineries, markets, food and good company. So nice to get away and relax for a bit! Did get a little work done but most of all feel like I’ve recharged the batteries a little. Ready to get back to work and into it, and get the PhD done. I’ll leave you with a little snapshot of Doza looking out towards the reef down here. (He’s not a big fan of getting wet!)

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Rest in Peace Al G

I got some sad news yesterday. One of the sloths that I met back in July last year, Al G, passed away after he couldn’t recover from a gastro infection. Now poor Miss C will be all alone. The zookeeper told me when I met them that no more sloths would come into the zoo after these two were gone, so now only the one will be present at Adelaide Zoo.

I was quite upset to hear of this, and only wish him rest in peace. Al GSandAlgae