Lorisiformes

Lorisiformes is an infraorder of nocturnal strepsirhines comprised of three subfamilies: Galaginae (galagos), Perodicticinae (pottos and angwantibos), and Lorisinae (slow and slender lorises). Galaginae has five genera and 18 species, Perodicticinae has two genera and six species, and Lorisinae has two genera and eleven species; in each of these subfamilies, numbers of species and genera are certainly underestimated, with many new taxa awaiting description. Showing wide diversity down to the species level, galagos are characterized by their large naked ears, woolly fur, long thick tail, and elongated hindlimb. They occupy all types of forest habitats in elevations as low as sea level and as high as 2,000 meters throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. Lorises, pottos, and angwantibos can be characterized by their slow movements, retia mirabilia, reduced second digit, and the inability to leap. Pottos range from Senegal to Kenya, while angwantibos are more limited, only ranging between the Niger and Congo Rivers. Lorises are found in South and Southeast Asia, ranging from Sri Lanka and India to the Philippines. Lorisiformes are facing conservation concerns, including deforestation and hunting, and without intervention, population decline will continue.