Editing Lorisidae

{{Short description|Family of primates}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| name = Lorisids<ref name=msw3>{{MSW3 Groves|pages=121–123|id=12100101}}</ref>
| fossil_range = {{Fossil range|Early Miocene|Recent}}
| image = Nycticebus pygmaeus 004.jpg
| image_caption = [[Pygmy slow loris]]
| taxon = Lorisidae
| authority = [[John Edward Gray|Gray]], 1821
| type_genus = ''[[Slender loris|Loris]]''
| type_genus_authority = [[Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire|Geoffroy]], 1796
| subdivision_ranks = Genera
| subdivision = ''[[Arctocebus]]''<br> ''[[Perodicticus]]''<br> ''[[slender loris|Loris]]''<br> ''[[Nycticebus]]''<br> ''[[Xanthonycticebus]]''
| synonyms = *''Loridae''<br/><small>Jenkins, 1987</small><ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Brandon-Jones | first1 = D. | last2 = Eudey | first2 = A. A. | last3 = Geissmann | first3 = T. | last4 = Groves | first4 = C. P. | last5 = Melnick | first5 = D. J. | last6 = Morales | first6 = J. C. | last7 = Shekelle | first7 = M. | last8 = Stewart | first8 = C.-B. | title = Asian Primate Classification | page = 100 | journal = International Journal of Primatology | volume = 25 | issue = 1 | year = 2004 | url = http://www.gibbons.de/main/papers/pdf_files/2004asianprimates.pdf | doi = 10.1023/b:ijop.0000014647.18720.32 | s2cid = 29045930 }}</ref>
}}

'''Lorisidae''' (or sometimes '''Loridae''') is a family of [[strepsirrhine]] [[primate]]s. The '''lorisids''' are all slim [[arboreal]] animals and comprise the [[loris]]es, [[potto]]s, and [[angwantibo]]s. Lorisids live in tropical, central [[Africa]] as well as in south and southeast [[Asia]].

== Classification ==
{{see also|List of lorisoids}}

There are five [[genus|genera]] and sixteen species of lorisid.<ref name=msw3/>

* Order [[Primate]]s
** Suborder [[Strepsirrhini]]: non-tarsier prosimians
*** Infraorder [[Lemuriformes]]
**** Superfamily [[Lemur]]oidea
**** Superfamily [[Lorisoidea]]
***** '''Family Lorisidae'''
****** Subfamily [[Perodicticinae]]
******* Genus ''[[Arctocebus]]'', angwantibos
******* Genus ''[[Perodicticus]]'', pottos
****** Subfamily [[Lorisinae]]
******* Genus ''[[slender loris|Loris]]'', slender lorises
******* Genus ''[[Nycticebus]]'', slow lorises
******* Genus ''[[Xanthonycticebus]]'', pygmy slow loris<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Nekaris |first1=K. Anne-Isola |last2=Nijman |first2=Vincent |date=2022-03-23 |title=A new genus name for pygmy lorises, Xanthonycticebus gen. nov. (Mammalia, primates) |url=https://zse.pensoft.net/article/81942/ |journal=Zoosystematics and Evolution |language=en |volume=98 |issue=1 |pages=87–92 |doi=10.3897/zse.98.81942 |s2cid=247649999 |issn=1860-0743|doi-access=free }}</ref>
***** Family [[Galagidae]]: galagos
** Suborder [[Haplorrhini]]: tarsiers, monkeys and apes

== Description ==

Lorisids have a close, woolly fur, which is usually grey or brown, darker on the top side. The eyes are large and face forward. The ears are small and often partially hidden in the fur. The thumbs are opposable and the index finger is short. The second toe of the hind legs has a fine claw for grooming, typical for strepsirrhines. Their tails are short or are missing completely. They grow to a length of 17 to 40&nbsp;cm and a weight of between 0.3 and 2&nbsp;kg, depending on the species. Their [[dentition|dental formula]] is similar to that of [[lemurs]]: {{DentalFormula|upper=2.1.3.3|lower=2.1.3.3}}

== Behavior and ecology ==
Lorisids are [[nocturnal]] and [[arboreal]]. Unlike the closely related [[galago]]s, lorisids never jump. Some have slow deliberate movements, whilst others can move with some speed across branches. It was previously thought that all lorisids moved slowly, but investigations using red light proved this to be wrong. Nonetheless, even the faster species freeze or move slowly if they hear or see any potential predator. This habit of remaining motionless whilst in danger is successful only because of the leafy environment of their jungle home, which helps to conceal their true position.<ref name=EoM>{{cite book|editor= Macdonald, D.|author= Charles-Dominique, Pierre|year= 1984|title= The Encyclopedia of Mammals|publisher= Facts on File|location= New York|pages= [https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofma00mals_0/page/332 332–337]|isbn= 0-87196-871-1|url-access= registration|url= https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofma00mals_0/page/332}}</ref> With their strong hands they clasp at the branches and cannot be removed without significant force. Most lorisids are solitary or live in small family groups.

[[Slow loris]]es from southeast Asia produce a [[secretion]] from their brachial gland (a [[scent gland]] on the upper arm, between the [[axilla]] and elbow), that is licked and mixed with their saliva to form a toxin which may be used for defense. The [[Slender loris|slender lorises]] from Sri Lanka and South India also possess these brachial glands, but it is uncertain whether they also synthesize the toxin. The [[potto]] (''Perodicticus potto'') is thought to lack brachial glands, though it produces similar toxic excretions with its anal glands.{{Sfn|Alterman|1995|pp=421–423}}

Lorisids have a [[gestation]] period of four to six months and give birth to two young. These often clasp themselves to the belly of the mother or wait in nests, while the mother goes to search for food. After three to nine months - depending on the species - they are [[weaning|weaned]] and are fully mature within 10 to 18 months. The [[life expectancy]] of lorises can be to up to 20 years.

Lorisids consume [[insect]]s, [[bird egg]]s and small [[vertebrate]]s as well as [[fruit]]s and [[Gum (botany)|gums]].<ref name="Estes1991">{{Cite book | title = The Behavior Guide to African Mammals | url = https://archive.org/details/isbn_0520080858 | url-access = registration | first = R. D. | last = Estes | author-link = Richard Despard Estes | publisher = University of California Press | year = 1991 | isbn= 978-0520080850 | pages = [https://archive.org/details/isbn_0520080858/page/458 458]}}</ref><ref name="A_aureus">{{Cite iucn | author = Svensson, M. | author2 = Nekaris, K.A.I. | title = ''Arctocebus aureus'' | date = 2019 | page = e.T2053A17969875 | access-date=24 December 2019}}</ref><ref name="Loris">{{Cite web|url=http://anintrospectiveworld.blogspot.ca/2013/05/slender-loris.html|title=Slender loris - Introspective World|website=anintrospectiveworld.blogspot.ca|date=14 May 2013|access-date=5 April 2018}}</ref><ref name="N_bengalensis">{{Cite iucn | author = Streicher, U. | author2 = Singh, M. | author3 = Timmins, R.J. | author4 = Brockelman, W. | name-list-style = amp | title = ''Nycticebus bengalensis'' | volume = 2008 | page = e.T39758A10263081 | date = 2008 | doi = 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T39758A10263081.en | access-date=24 December 2019}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

===Literature cited===
{{Refbegin}}
*<!-- Alterman|1995 -->{{cite book |last=Alterman |first=L. |year=1995 |contribution=Toxins and toothcombs: potential allospecific chemical defenses in ''Nycticebus'' and ''Perodicticus'' |editor1-last=Alterman |editor1-first=L. |editor2-last=Doyle |editor2-first=G.A. |editor3-last=Izard |editor3-first=M.K |title=Creatures of the Dark: The Nocturnal Prosimians |location=New York, New York |publisher=Plenum Press |pages=413–424 |oclc=33441731 |isbn=978-0-306-45183-6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0U_uBwAAQBAJ&q=Lorisidae}}
{{Refend}}

== External links ==
{{Wikispecies|Lorisidae}}
{{Lorisidae nav}}
{{Primates}}
{{Strepsirrhini|L.}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q368623}}

[[Category:Lorises|.]]
[[Category:Primate families]]
[[Category:Lorises and galagos]]
[[Category:Miocene primates]]
[[Category:Miocene mammals of Africa]]
[[Category:Extant Miocene first appearances]]
[[Category:Taxa named by John Edward Gray]]