Calabar angwantibo
| Calabar angwantibo | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Primates |
| Family: | Lorisidae |
| Subfamily: | Perodicticinae |
| Genus: | |
| Species: | A. calabarensis |
| Binomial name | |
|
Arctocebus calabarensis (Smith, 1860) |
|
 |
|
| Calabar angwantibo range | |
The Calabar angwantibo (Arctocebus calabarensis), also known as the Calabar potto, is a strepsirrhine primate of the family Lorisidae. It shares the genus with the golden angwantibo (Arctocebus aureus). It is closely related to the potto (Perodicticus potto) and to the various lorises.
The Calabar angwantibo lives in the rain forests of west Africa, particularly in tree-fall zones. In areas where the forest has been cleared, it has been known to live on farmland. Its range covers Cameroon, Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea. The species takes its name from the Nigerian city of Calabar.
The Calabar angwantibo weighs between 266 and 465 grams. It has orangish-yellow fur on its back, grey or white fur on its belly, and a distinctive white line on its forehead and nose. Like other lorids, this angwantibo has a very short index finger, which allows it to get a strong grip on tree branches. The second toe on each foot has a specialised claw that the angwantibo uses for grooming. The Calabar angwantibo is the only primate to have a functioning nictitating membrane (third eyelid).
The Calabar angwantibo is nocturnal and arboreal. It stays considerably lower in the trees than the other nocturnal strepsirrhines in its range, and is typically found between 5 and 15 metres above ground. It moves by climbing very slowly through the trees, always grasping branches with at least three of its limbs at a time. During the day the angwantibo sleeps under dense foliage, hanging from a branch.
The Calabar angwantibo's diet consists mainly of insects, especially caterpillars, but it also eats some fruit. It will eat strong-smelling insects that other animals reject. Before eating a caterpillar, the angwantibo wipes it carefully with its hands to remove any poisonous barbs.
...
Wikipedia