Bornean slow loris
| Bornean slow loris | |
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_-_Museo_Civico_di_Storia_Naturale_Giacomo_Doria_-_Genoa,_Italy_-_DSC02519.JPG) |
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Not evaluated (IUCN 3.1)
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Primates |
| Family: | Lorisidae |
| Genus: | Nycticebus |
| Species: | N. borneanus |
| Binomial name | |
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Nycticebus borneanus (Lyon, 1906) |
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The Bornean slow loris (Nycticebus borneanus) is a strepsirrhine primate and a species of slow loris that is native to central south Borneo in Indonesia. Formerly considered a subspecies or synonym of N. menagensis, it was promoted to full species status in 2013 when a study of museum specimens and photographs identified distinct facial markings, which helped to differentiate it as a separate species. It is distinguished by its dark, contrasting facial features, as well as the shape and width of the stripes of its facial markings.
As with other slow lorises, this arboreal and nocturnal species primarily eats insects, tree gum, nectar, and fruit and has a toxic bite, a unique feature among primates. Although not yet evaluated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), it is likely to be listed as "Vulnerable" or placed in a higher-risk category when its conservation status is assessed. It is primarily threatened by habitat loss and the illegal wildlife trade.
N. borneanus is a strepsirrhine primate, and species of slow loris (genus Nycticebus) within the family Lorisidae. Museum specimens of this animal had previously been identified as the Bornean slow loris using the scientific name Nycticebus menagensis – first described by the English naturalist Richard Lydekker in 1893 as Lemur menagensis, – a scientific name now assigned exclusively to the Philippine slow loris. In 1906, Marcus Ward Lyon, Jr. first described N. borneanus from western Borneo. By 1953, all of the slow lorises were lumped together into a single species, the Sunda slow loris (Nycticebus coucang). In 1971, that view was updated by distinguishing the pygmy slow loris (N. pygmaeus) as a species, and by further recognizing four subspecies, including N. coucang menagensis. From then until 2005, N. borneanus was considered a synonym of N. menagensis. The latter was elevated to the species level in 2006, when molecular analysis showed it to be genetically distinct from N. coucang.
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Wikipedia