Red slender loris (Loris tardigradus)

Lorisoidea is a superfamily of nocturnal primates. Members of this superfamily are called lorisoids, and include lorises, angwantibos, pottos, galagos, and bushbabies. Lorisoidea is one of two superfamilies that form the suborder Strepsirrhini, itself one of two suborders in the order Primates. They are found in Asia and Africa, generally in forests, though some species can be found in shrublands and savannas. They range in size from the Prince Demidoff's bushbaby, at 10 cm (4 in) plus a 15 cm (6 in) tail, to the West African potto, at 39 cm (15 in) plus a 10 cm (4 in) tail. Lorisoids primarily eat fruit, insects, and tree gums and resins. Most lorisoids do not have population estimates, but the ones that do range from 40 mature individuals to 500,000. Six species are categorized as endangered: the Bengal, pygmy, Sumatran, and Sunda slow lorises, the red slender loris, and the Rondo dwarf galago. A further two species are categorized as critically endangered: the Bangka slow loris and the Javan slow loris.

The thirty-five extant species of Lorisoidea are divided into two families: Galagidae, containing nineteen bushbaby and galago species divided between six genera, and Lorisidae, containing sixteen species divided between the three genera in the loris subfamily Lorisinae and the two genera of the angwantibo and potto subfamily Perodicticinae. Several extinct prehistoric lorisoid species have been discovered, though due to ongoing research and discoveries the exact number and categorization is not fixed.^[1]

Conventions

Conservation status codes listed follow the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Range maps are provided wherever possible; if a range map is not available, a description of the lorisoid's range is provided. Ranges are based on the IUCN Red List for that species unless otherwise noted. All extinct genera, species, or subspecies listed alongside extant species went extinct after 1500 CE, and are indicated by a dagger symbol "†".

Classification

The superfamily Lorisoidea consists of two extant families: Galagidae and Lorisidae. Galagidae contains nineteen species in six genera, while Lorisidae is divided into two subfamilies: Lorisinae, containing eleven species divided between three genera, and Perodicticinae, containing five species divided between two genera.

Lorisoids

The following classification is based on the taxonomy described by the reference work Mammal Species of the World (2005), with augmentation by generally accepted proposals made since using molecular phylogenetic analysis, as supported by both the IUCN and the American Society of Mammalogists.^[4]

Family Galagidae

Main article: Galagidae

Genus Euoticus – Gray, 1863 – two species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Northern needle-clawed bushbaby	E. pallidus (Gray, 1863) Two subspecies E. p. pallidus (Bioko needle-clawed bushbaby) E. p. talboti (Nigeria needle-clawed bushbaby)	Western equatorial Africa	Size: 18–33 cm (7–13 in) long, plus 28–31 cm (11–12 in) tail[5] Habitat: Forest[6] Diet: Tree gums and resins[6]	NT  Unknown [6]
Southern needle-clawed bushbaby	E. elegantulus (Conte, 1857)	Western equatorial Africa	Size: 21–24 cm (8–9 in) long, plus 28–32 cm (11–13 in) tail[7] Habitat: Forest[8] Diet: Tree and liana gums and resins, as well as invertebrates[8]	LC  Unknown [8]

Genus Galago – É Geoffroy, 1796 – four species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Dusky bushbaby	G. matschiei Liburnau, 1917	Central Africa	Size: 14–19 cm (6–7 in) long, plus 24–28 cm (9–11 in) tail[9] Habitat: Forest[10] Diet: Insects, fruit, flowers, and gum[9]	LC  Unknown [10]
Mohol bushbaby	G. moholi Smith, 1836	Central and southern Africa	Size: 14–17 cm (6–7 in) long, plus 11–28 cm (4–11 in) tail[11] Habitat: Savanna[12] Diet: Arthropods, as well as tree gum and resin[11]	LC  Unknown [12]
Senegal bushbaby	G. senegalensis É Geoffroy, 1796 Four subspecies G. s. braccatus (Kenya lesser bushbaby) G. s. dunni (Ethiopia lesser bushbaby) G. s. senegalensis (Senegal lesser bushbaby) G. s. sotikae (Uganda lesser bushbaby)	Equatorial Africa (possible additional range in red)	Size: 13–21 cm (5–8 in) long, plus 19–30 cm (7–12 in) tail[5] Habitat: Forest and savanna[13] Diet: Insects, as well as small birds, eggs, fruits, seeds, flowers, and tree gum[14]	LC  Unknown [13]
Somali bushbaby	G. gallarum Thomas, 1901	Eastern Africa	Size: 13–20 cm (5–8 in) long, plus 20–30 cm (8–12 in) tail[5] Habitat: Savanna[15] Diet: Gum and invertebrates[5]	LC  Unknown [15]

Genus Galagoides – A. Smith, 1833 – three species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Angolan dwarf galago	G. kumbirensis Svensson et al., 2017	Angola in southwestern Africa	Size: 14–18 cm (6–7 in) long, plus 17–21 cm (7–8 in) tail[16] Habitat: Forest and shrubland[17] Diet: Unknown[16]	NT  Unknown [17]
Prince Demidoff's bushbaby	G. demidoff Fischer von Waldheim, 1806	Western and central equatorial Africa	Size: 10–13 cm (4–5 in) long, plus 15–21 cm (6–8 in) tail[18] Habitat: Forest[19] Diet: Insects, as well as fruit and gum[18]	LC  Unknown [19]
Thomas's bushbaby	G. thomasi Elliot, 1907	Western and central equatorial Africa	Size: 12–17 cm (5–7 in) long, plus 15–24 cm (6–9 in) tail[20] Habitat: Forest[21] Diet: Insects, as well as small vertebrates, fruit, and tree buds, leaves, and gum[20]	LC  Unknown [21]

Genus Otolemur – Coquerel, 1859 – two species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Brown greater galago	O. crassicaudatus É Geoffroy, 1812 Three subspecies O. c. crassicaudatus (South African greater galago) O. c. kirkii (Tanganyika greater galago) O. c. monteiri (Silvery greater galago)	Southern Africa	Size: 29–38 cm (11–15 in) long, plus 41–48 cm (16–19 in) tail[22] Habitat: Forest, savanna, and shrubland[23] Diet: Gum and sap, as well as fruit and insects[22]	LC  Unknown [23]
Northern greater galago	O. garnettii (Ogilby, 1838) Four subspecies O. g. garnettii (Zanzibar greater galago) O. g. kikuyuensis (Kikuyu greater galago) O. g. lasiotis (White-tailed greater galago) O. g. panganiensis (Pangani greater galago)	Eastern Africa	Size: 23–34 cm (9–13 in) long, plus about 36 cm (14 in) tail[24] Habitat: Forest[25] Diet: Fruit and insects[24]	LC  Unknown [25]

Genus Paragalago – Masters, Génin, Couette, Groves, Nash, Delpero, Pozzi, 2017 – five species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Grant's bushbaby	P. granti (Thomas & Wroughton, 1907)	Southeastern Africa	Size: 14–19 cm (6–7 in) long, plus 20–27 cm (8–11 in) tail[5] Habitat: Forest[26] Diet: Invertebrates, fruit, gum, and flowers, as well as small birds[26]	LC  Unknown [26]
Kenya coast galago	P. cocos Heller, 1912	Southeastern Africa	Size: 14–19 cm (6–7 in) long, plus 18–23 cm (7–9 in) tail[5] Habitat: Forest[27] Diet: Insects and fruit[28]	LC  Unknown [27]
Rondo dwarf galago	P. rondoensis Honess, 1997	Scattered Tanzania in southeastern Africa	Size: 10–13 cm (4–5 in) long, plus 17–18 cm (7 in) tail[28] Habitat: Forest[29] Diet: Insects, as well as fruit and gum[28]	EN  Unknown [29]
Uluguru bushbaby	P. orinus Lawrence & Washburn, 1936	Southeastern Africa	Size: 12–14 cm (5–6 in) long, plus 16–20 cm (6–8 in) tail[5] Habitat: Forest[30] Diet: Gum, nectar, invertebrates, and small vertebrates[5]	VU  Unknown [30]
Zanzibar bushbaby	P. zanzibaricus (Matschie, 1893) Two subspecies P. z. udzungwensis (Udzungwa bushbaby) P. z. zanzibaricus (Zanzibar bushbaby)	Scattered Tanzania	Size: 14–15 cm (6–6 in) long, plus 12–15 cm (5–6 in) tail[31] Habitat: Forest[32] Diet: Fruit, insects, and gum[31]	NT  Unknown [32]

Genus Sciurocheirus – Waterhouse, 1838 – three species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Bioko Allen's bushbaby	S. alleni (Waterhouse, 1838) Two subspecies S. a. alleni (Bioko Allen's bushbaby) S. a. cameronensis (Cross River bushbaby)	Western equatorial Africa	Size: 15–24 cm (6–9 in) long, plus 20–30 cm (8–12 in) tail[5] Habitat: Forest[33] Diet: Fruit, as well as insects and small mammals[34]	NT  Unknown [33]
Gabon bushbaby	S. gabonensis Gray, 1863	Western equatorial Africa	Size: 18–21 cm (7–8 in) long, plus 23–28 cm (9–11 in) tail[28] Habitat: Forest[35] Diet: Arthropods, insects, fruit, and gum[36]	LC  Unknown [35]
Makandé squirrel galago	S. makandensis Ambrose, 2013	Gabon in western equatorial Africa	Size: Unknown[28] Habitat: Forest[37] Diet: Unknown[28]	DD  Unknown [37]

Family Lorisidae

Main article: Lorisidae

Subfamily Lorisinae

Main article: Lorisinae

Genus Loris – É Geoffroy, 1796 – two species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Gray slender loris	L. lydekkerianus A. Cabrera, 1908 Four subspecies L. l. grandis (Highland slender loris) L. l. lydekkerianus (Mysore slender loris) L. l. malabaricus (Malabar slender loris) L. l. nordicus (Northern Ceylonese slender loris)	Southern India and Sri Lanka	Size: 18–22 cm (7–9 in) long, with no tail[38] Habitat: Forest[39] Diet: Insects[40]	NT  Unknown [39]
Red slender loris	L. tardigradus (Linnaeus, 1758)	Sri Lanka	Size: 18–26 cm (7–10 in) long, with no tail[41] Habitat: Forest[42] Diet: Insects, as well as tree frogs, geckos, small birds, eggs, and fruit[41]	EN  2000–2300 [42]

Genus Nycticebus – É Geoffroy, 1812 – eight species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Bangka slow loris	N. bancanus (Lyon, 1906)	Borneo and Bangka Islands in southeastern Asia	Size: About 26 cm (10 in) long, with no tail[43] Habitat: Forest[44] Diet: Insects, gum, nectar, and fruit[45]	CR  Unknown [44]
Bengal slow loris	N. bengalensis (Lacépède, 1800)	Southeastern Asia	Size: 26–38 cm (10–15 in) long, with vestigial tail[46] Habitat: Forest[47] Diet: Resin and gum, as well as nectar, fruit, invertebrates, bark, and bird eggs[46]	EN  Unknown [47]
Bornean slow loris	N. borneanus (Lyon, 1906)	Borneo	Size: About 26 cm (10 in) long, with no tail[43] Habitat: Forest[48] Diet: Insects, gum, nectar, and fruit[49]	VU  Unknown [48]
Javan slow loris	N. javanicus É Geoffroy, 1812	Java in southeastern Asia	Size: 28–31 cm (11–12 in) long, with vestigial tail[50] Habitat: Forest[51] Diet: Nectar, gum, insects, fruit, lizards, and eggs[50]	CR  Unknown [51]
Kayan River slow loris	N. kayan Munds, Nekaris, Ford, 2013	Borneo	Size: About 27 cm (11 in) long, with no tail[43] Habitat: Forest[52] Diet: Unknown[53]	VU  Unknown [52]
Philippine slow loris	N. menagensis Lydekker, 1893	Borneo and nearby islands	Size: About 27 cm (11 in) long, with no tail[43] Habitat: Forest[54] Diet: Insects, nectar, gum, and fruit[55]	VU  Unknown [54]
Sumatran slow loris	N. hilleri (Stone and Rehn, 1902)	Sumatra in southeastern Asia	Size: 26–30 cm (10–12 in) long, with no tail[56] Habitat: Forest[57] Diet: Insects, nectar, gum, and fruit[57]	EN  Unknown [57]
Sunda slow loris	N. coucang (Boddaert, 1785)	Southeastern Asia	Size: 27–38 cm (11–15 in) long, with no tail[58] Habitat: Forest[59] Diet: Sap, gum, nectar, stems, and fruit, as well as arthropods and insects[58]	EN  Unknown [59]

Genus Xanthonycticebus – Nekaris & Nijman, 2022 – one species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Pygmy slow loris	X. pygmaeus (Bonhote, 1907)	Southeastern Asia	Size: 15–25 cm (6–10 in) long, with no tail[60] Habitat: Forest[61] Diet: Insects, gum, resin, fruit, and bamboo[60]	EN  Unknown [61]

Subfamily Perodicticinae

Main article: Perodicticinae

Genus Arctocebus – Gray, 1863 – two species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Calabar angwantibo	A. calabarensis (Smith, 1860)	Western equatorial Africa	Size: 22–31 cm (9–12 in) long, plus 4–10 cm (2–4 in) tail[62] Habitat: Forest[63] Diet: Insects, as well as fruit and gum[62]	NT  Unknown [63]
Golden angwantibo	A. aureus de Winton, 1902	Western equatorial Africa	Size: 22–26 cm (9–10 in) long, plus vestigial tail[64] Habitat: Forest[65] Diet: Insects and fruit[65]	LC  Unknown [65]

Genus Perodicticus – Bennett, 1831 – three species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Central African potto	P. edwarsi Bouvier, 1879	Central Africa	Size: 30–37 cm (12–15 in) long, plus 3–7 cm (1–3 in) tail[66] Habitat: Forest[67] Diet: Gum, insects, snails and fruit[67]	LC  Unknown [67]
East African potto	P. ibeanus Thomas, 1910 Two subspecies P. i. ibeanus (Eastern potto) P. i. stockleyi (Mount Kenya potto)	East central Africa	Size: 29–37 cm (11–15 in) long, plus 4–10 cm (2–4 in) tail[66] Habitat: Forest[68] Diet: Fruit, gum, nectar, and invertebrates, as well as moss, frogs, and eggs[68]	LC  Unknown [68]
West African potto	P. potto (Müller, 1766)	Western equatorial Africa	Size: 30–39 cm (12–15 in) long, plus 3–10 cm (1–4 in) tail[69] Habitat: Forest[70] Diet: Fruit, arthropods, insects, and eggs, as well as small vertebrates[69]	NT  Unknown [70]

References

Sources