Virtual Non-Human Primate Zoo

SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION

  Order: Primates

    Suborder: Strepsirrhini

      Infraorder: Lemuriformes

        Superfamily:  Lorisoidea

          Family:  Lorisidae

            Genus:  Perodicticus

              Species:  potto

 

COMMON NAME:

• Potto

• Bosman's potto

 

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION:

• Equatorial Africa, from the Republics of the Gambia and Senegal to western Kenya

 

HABITAT:

• rainforest

• coastal and lowland forest

• can inhabit primary and secondary forest

• live in rainforest trees that are 5 to 30 meters (16 - 98 feet) tall

 

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

• monomorphic

• long slender bodies

• large eyes (nocturnal)

• snout is short

• small round ears that lack fur

• coat varies from shades of brown and grey

• shortening of the index finger

• opposable thumb

• short tail

 

DIET:  Frugivorous

Depends on seasons

• fruits

• plant gum

• insects: ants, beetles, caterpillars, poisonous millipedes

• occasionally eat bats and birds

 

LOCOMOTION TYPE:  Arboreal Quadruped

 

SOCIAL GROUP ORGANIZATION:  Solitary Animals

 

PARENTAL CARE:  Mother is Primary Caregiver

 

COMMUNICATION:

• use of chemical cues for communication

• common vocalization is female call to the infant

 

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES:

• polygamous

• give birth to one offspring per year

• all digits have nails expect the second digit of each foot

• captive pottos live up to 26 years

 

ENDANGERMENT STATUS:  Least Concern

 

To learn more about Perodicticus potto, visit the following websites:

1. http://www.arkive.org/potto/perodicticus-potto/image-G33777.html

2. http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Perodicticus_potto/

3. http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/16629/0

 

Information and photographs compiled by C. Hernandez and C. Zuniga.