The southern maned sloth (Bradypus crinitus) is a three-toed sloth species. Description The southern maned sloths have flatter skulls, rounder jaws, and wider cheekbones than the northern maned sloths. The species has a head that looks like a coconut. Distribution The sloth is endemic to Brazil's Atlantic Forest, a highly biodiverse region. Southern maned sloths were found in Rio de Janeiro and Espirito Santo. Discovery The species was discovered by John Edward Gray in 1850, but his assertions were later dismissed, with taxonomists agreeing that the specimen, that Gray described was a B. torquatus, but the new study proves that B. critinus does indeed exist. The B. crinitus separated from B. torquatus in the north by more than 4 million years of evolution. Name The sloth received Gray's old name, Bradypus crinitus. The name crinitus means hairy, referring to its coconut-like head. References Sloths Mammals of Brazil Endemic fauna of Brazil Vulnerable species Mammals described in 1850 Taxa named by John Edward Gray Fauna of the Atlantic Forest