A Hand-book to the Primates, Volume 1 (of 2)Forbes, Henry O. (Henry Ogg)
Science
A Hand-book to the Primates, Volume 1 (of 2)
Forbes, Henry O. (Henry Ogg)
Primates
In the skull the squamosal region with the outer and posterior portion of
the ear capsules (the periotic) are inflated. The dental formula of the
Slow-Lemurs is the same as given above for the family generally. In the
upper jaw, the two incisors are usually equal, but, if unequal, the inner
incisor is always the larger (Fig. 6); the vertically long canine, which is
separated by a gap from the anterior pre-molar, presents both in front and
behind a neck or cingulum, which is cusped behind; the pre-molars are
canine-like, and have the cingulum produced behind into a heel (or talon).
The anterior of the three is {25}vertically longer than the median, while
both the median and posterior have, to the outside, one main cusp with a
minute one on each side of it, and two inner cusps; the molars are all
cingulate, and have to the outside two main cusps (separated by a minute
cusp) and two inner cusps, the outer and inner cusps alternating. Of the
anterior and median molars, the two main outside cusps are sub-equal, and
are flanked on each side by a minute cusp; the posterior molar is short and
wide, and has only one minute cusp in front of its anterior main cusp. Of
the lower jaw, the pre-molars are canine-like, the anterior being
vertically long and having a posterior heel; the posterior pre-molar, which
differs in size from the anterior, presents two main cusps to the outside
and one minute cusp in front; the molars, both anterior and median, are
four-cusped, with a minute cusp in front, the posterior being five-cusped,
while all have their front cusps vertically taller than the hind ones.
Among the _Lorisinæ_ the dorsal and lumbar vertebræ together number from
twenty-one to twenty-three. The cæcum, at the junction of the larger and
smaller intestine, is long. The main artery of the fore- and hind-limbs
breaks up into a _rete mirabile_ of numerous small parallel branches.
The Slow-Lemurs are distributed in the western parts of the African
continent, and in the Indian, Malayan and Indo-Chinese portions of the
Oriental region. It is a remarkable fact that this group should be confined
to one portion of Africa and be entirely absent from Madagascar, the
country where the Lemurs form so characteristic a feature in the fauna.
The _Lorisinæ_ embrace three genera, the Pottos (_Perodicticus_) from the
African continent; the Slender Loris (_Loris_), and the Slow-Loris
(_Nycticebus_), both of which inhabit the Oriental region.
{26}THE POTTOS. GENUS PERODICTICUS.
_Perodicticus_, Bennett, P. Z. S., 1839, p. 109; Huxley, P. Z. S., 1864,
p. 235.
_Arctocebus_, Gray, P. Z. S., 1863, p. 150; Mivart, P.Z.S., 1864, p. 644.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account