Cluster Bat vs Pygmy three-toed sloth

Myotis sodalis compared with Bradypus pygmaeus

Key Differences

• Cluster Bat is Near Threatened while Pygmy three-toed sloth is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cluster Bat	Pygmy three-toed sloth
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Mammalia (Mammals)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Chiroptera (Bats)	Pilosa (Sloths & Anteaters)
Family	Vespertilionidae	Bradypodidae (Three-toed Sloths)
Genus	Myotis	Bradypus (Three-toed Sloths)
Species	Myotis sodalis	Bradypus pygmaeus

Evolutionary Relationship

Cluster Bat and Pygmy three-toed sloth share a common ancestor at the Class level: Mammalia. (Mammals)

Conservation Status

Cluster Bat

NT — Near Threatened

Pygmy three-toed sloth

CR — Critically Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cluster Bat	Pygmy three-toed sloth
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Cluster Bat

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found in United States. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Pygmy three-toed sloth

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Cluster Bat

Myotis sodalis, the Indiana bat or cluster bat, is a medium-sized insectivorous bat in the family Vespertilionidae endemic to the eastern United States. It is one of the most endangered bats in North America, listed as Endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN. The species is named for its behavior of clustering in extremely dense hibernation groups—sometimes thousands of bats per square meter—in specific limestone caves and mines during winter. These few critical hibernacula make the species extremely vulnerable to disturbance and disease. Since 2007, Indiana bats have suffered severe mortality from white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease caused by Pseudogymnoascus destructans that disrupts hibernation and causes mass starvation. During summer, Indiana bats roost under loose bark of dead trees and forage for insects over forested landscapes and riparian areas. Foraging individuals consume moths, beetles, and flying insects. Conservation efforts include cave gate protection, white-nose syndrome research, and summer habitat management on public and private lands across the eastern US.