Gray slender lory
| Gray slender lory | ||||||||||||
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L. lydekkerianus lydekkerianus , the nominate form of the gray slender lory |
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| Loris lydekkerianus | ||||||||||||
| Cabrera , 1908 |
The gray slender lory ( Loris lydekkerianus ) is a species of primate from the Loris family (Lorisidae). It is considered to be a separate species from the red slender lory .
features
Gray slender loris are very small primates with a slender physique. They reach a head body length of 18 to 26 centimeters, the tail is missing. The weight is 0.1 to 0.3 kilograms. Their fur is gray or brownish on the back depending on the subspecies, the belly is light gray or whitish. The limbs are very thin, the hands with the reduced second fingers are adapted for a firm grip in the branches. The eyes are large and round, they are surrounded by gray-brown fields. The ears are round and hairless on the edge.
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Distribution, subspecies and habitat
These primates are native to eastern and southern India (states of Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka , Kerala and Tamil Nadu ) as well as to the north and east of the island of Sri Lanka - the red slender lory lives in the southwest of the island. Their habitat are forests, although they can occur in different forest forms. They prefer to stay in areas with dense undergrowth.
There are five subspecies, two in South India and three in Sri Lanka:
- The nominate form , the Mysore slender lory ( L. lydekkerianus lydekkerianus ) occurs in the deciduous dry forests of the Eastern Ghats . The animals are yellow-brown on the back and whitish on the belly. There is often a dark stripe on the back. The dark circles are gray to brown, the ears yellow-brown.
- The Malabar Slender Lorikeet ( L. lydekkerianus malabaricus ) lives in the rainforests of the Western Ghats up to an altitude of 1200 meters. It has a red-brown fur without dark stripes on the back.
- The North Ceylon Slender Lorikeet ( L. lydekkerianus nordicus ) occurs in the arid north of Sri Lanka in the districts of Anuradhapura , Polonnaruwa , Kurunegala , Puttalam , Vouniya , Trincomale and Matale . The fur of the animals is gray or gray-brown. The dark circles under the eyes are teardrop-shaped with an upturned tip. The light, central facial stripe is striking.
- The highland slender lory ( L. lydekkerianus grandis ) lives in the center of Sri Lanka in the always humid climatic zone of Sri Lanka and a transition zone to the dry climatic zone in the districts of Kandy and Matale . The fur of the animals is gray or gray-brown. The dark circles are wide and pear-shaped, the white border around the circles is noticeable.
- L. lydekkerianus uva occurs in the south of the distribution area of the gray slender lory, in the dry and transition zone to the always humid climatic zone. Its habitat is in the districts of Badulla , Monaragala , Ratnapura and Ampara . The fur of the animals is yellow-brown or reddish-brown. The dark circles under the eyes are relatively narrow and rounded, the white border around the dark circles is noticeable.
Lifestyle and diet
Like all Loris, gray slim loris are nocturnal, during the day they sleep in the branches. At night they go in search of food, moving very slowly and quietly. Their movements are slow, but thanks to their hands they have a firm grip around the branches that can hardly be loosened.
They often sleep together with up to seven fellow species and also spend part of the nocturnal activity phase with other slim loris. They are territorial, the territory of one male overlaps with that of several females.
Their diet consists mainly of insects, occasionally they also eat small vertebrates and plant material such as fruits. When hunting, they cautiously sneak up on the prey and then grab at lightning speed with both hands.
Reproduction
The male reproduces with the females, whose territories overlap with his. After a gestation period of around 170 days, the female usually gives birth to a single young. The boy is weaned after six to seven months and sexually mature at 10 months.
Danger
In some regions, gray slender lures have become rare due to the destruction of their habitat, and hunting is also used, also for superstitious reasons. Overall, however, the species is still common and is listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature IUCN in the Red List of Threatened Species as Least Concern .
In Germany, the subspecies Northern Gray Slender Loris ( Loris lydekkerianus nordicus ) is kept in the Frankfurt Zoo. Former owners of the species are the zoos in Berlin and Dresden.
literature
- Thomas Geissmann : Comparative Primatology. Springer-Verlag, Berlin et al. 2002, ISBN 3-540-43645-6 .
- Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World. 6th edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 1999, ISBN 0-8018-5789-9 .
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d Saman N. Gamage, Colin P. Groves, Fais MMT Marikar, Craig S. Turner, Kalinga UKG Padmalal & Sarath W. Kotagama: The Taxonomy, Distribution, and Conservation Status of the Slender Loris (Primates, Lorisidae: Loris ) in Sri Lanka. Primate Conservation 2017 (31)
- ^ A b K. Anne-Isola Nekaris: Family Lorisidae (Angwantibos, Pottos and Lorises) in Russell A. Mittermeier , Anthony B. Rylands & Don E. Wilson : Handbook of the Mammals of the World: Primates: 3rd ISBN 978- 8496553897 , page 231.
Web links
- Slim Loris at theprimata.com
- Loris lydekkerianus in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2010. Posted by: A. Nekaris, M. Singh & A. Kumar Chhangani, 2008. Accessed on March 15 of 2009.