Question

What is the importance of epizoic algae to tree dwelling sloth?

Answer 1

Hint: Both epizoic algae and tree dwelling sloths have symbiotic relationship and both are getting benefit from each other for their survival.

Complete answer:
Epizoic is the word derived from two greek words that is 'epi':upon and 'zoon': animal. Epizoic are the one which grow or live on the body surface of the other animal non-parasitically.They either live symbiotically(both gets benefit from each other) or commensally(one gets benefit while the other not) or neutrally( none of them get benefit from each other).
The epizoic algae like Trichophilus welckeri live symbiotically with the arboreal (tree dwelling) sloth that provide greenish colouration to the fur of the sloth. This green coloured covering helps to camouflage the sloth with the surrounding trees and helps them in escaping from the predators like jaguars,eagles and poachers too. Similarly, the epizoic algae also get benefit by getting shelter and adequate amounts of water that is required for their growth and extra nutrients too by the process of diffusion and absorption through the hair or skin of the sloth. Water and nutrients are readily available for the algae because of the habitat of the sloth on tall trees with rain, cloud and mangrove forest

Note:Sloth is considered as the world's slowest animal. Only six species of the sloth are existing all over the globe and these are divided into two varieties that is two-toed sloth and three-toed sloth.All the mammals have seven cervical vertebrae but two toed sloth have five to seven vertebrae while three-toed sloth have eight to nine cervical vertebrae. These extra vertebrae in three-toed sloth allowed them to rotate their neck up to 270 degrees.