Order: Primates
Family: Loridae
Genus: Perodicticus
Species: Perodicticus potto
The potto is the larger of the two African lorises. It ranges from Liberia to Kenya, residing in primary and secondary forests. Their diet consists of gums, fruits, insects and small vertebrates. Males and females live in separate, but overlapping, home ranges. They are nocturnal.
Like other strepsirhines, the potto has a dental tooth comb and a grooming claw on the second digit.
Unlike some other prosimians, the potto has a tympanic ring that is fused to the lateral wall rather than being fused (I couldn’t find a good picture to illustrate this). While galagos are vertical clingers and leapers, the potto is a slow climber. Below is a picture of a potto skeleton.
Filed under: Know Your Primate, Lorisidae, Pseudopotto, Strepsirrhini |
Afarensis: Anthropology, Evolution, and Science 