The false potto (''Pseudopotto martini'') is a
lorisoid
Lorisoidea is a Taxonomic rank, superfamily of nocturnal primates found throughout Africa and Asia. Members include the galagos and the Lorisidae, lorisids. As Strepsirrhini, strepsirrhines, lorisoids are related to the lemurs of Madagascar and ar ...
primate of uncertain
taxonomic
Taxonomy is the practice and science of categorization or classification.
A taxonomy (or taxonomical classification) is a scheme of classification, especially a hierarchical classification, in which things are organized into groups or types. ...
status found in Africa. Anthropologist
Jeffrey H. Schwartz named it in 1996 as the only species of the genus ''Pseudopotto'' on the basis of two specimens (consisting only of skeletal material) that had previously been identified as a
potto
The pottos are three species of strepsirrhine primate in the genus ''Perodicticus'' of the family Lorisidae. In some English-speaking parts of Africa, they are called "softly-softlys".
Etymology
The common name "potto" may be from Wolof (a ta ...
(''Perodicticus''). The precise provenances of the two specimens are uncertain, but at least one may have come from
Cameroon
Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...
. Schwartz thought the false potto could even represent a separate
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
, but other researchers have argued that the supposed distinguishing features of the animal do not actually distinguish it from the potto; specifically, the false potto shares several features with the
West African potto
The West African potto (''Perodicticus potto'') is a species of nocturnal strepsirrhine primate. It is found in tropical West Africa. It is also known as Bosman's potto, after Willem Bosman, who described the species in 1704. It is the type speci ...
(''Perodicticus potto'').
The false potto generally resembles a small potto, but according to Schwartz it differs in having a longer tail, shorter spines on its neck and chest vertebrae, a smaller, less complex spine on the second neck vertebra, an
entepicondylar foramen The entepicondylar foramen is an opening in the distal (far) end of the humerus (upper arm bone) present in some mammals. It is often present in primitive placentals, such as the enigmatic Madagascan ''Plesiorycteropus''. In most Neotominae and al ...
(an opening in the
humerus
The humerus (; ) is a long bone in the arm that runs from the shoulder to the elbow. It connects the scapula and the two bones of the lower arm, the radius and ulna, and consists of three sections. The humeral upper extremity consists of a roun ...
, or upper arm bone), a lacrimal fossa (a depression in the skull) that is located inside the eye socket, a smaller upper third premolar and molar, and higher-crowned cheekteeth, among other traits. However, many of these traits are variable among pottos; for example, one researcher found entepicondylar foramina in almost half of the specimens in his sample of pottos.
Taxonomy
In a series of
potto
The pottos are three species of strepsirrhine primate in the genus ''Perodicticus'' of the family Lorisidae. In some English-speaking parts of Africa, they are called "softly-softlys".
Etymology
The common name "potto" may be from Wolof (a ta ...
(''Perodicticus potto'') skeletons in the collections of the Anthropological Institute and Museum of the
University of Zurich
The University of Zürich (UZH, german: Universität Zürich) is a public research university located in the city of Zürich, Switzerland. It is the largest university in Switzerland, with its 28,000 enrolled students. It was founded in 1833 f ...
at Irchel, anthropologist
Jeffrey H. Schwartz recognized two specimens with traits he believed distinct from all pottos, and in 1996 he used these two specimens to describe a new genus and species of primate, ''Pseudopotto martini''. The
generic name, ''Pseudopotto'', combines the element ''pseudo-'' (Greek for "false") with "potto", referring to superficial similarities between the new form and the potto. The
specific name, ''martini'', honors primatologist
Robert D. Martin. The exact provenance of the two specimens is unknown, and one is represented by a complete skeleton (but no skin) and the other by a skull only. Schwartz placed both specimens in a single species, but noted that further study might indicate that the two represent distinct species. He thought the relationships of the new form were unknown and difficult to assess and did not assign it to any
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
, but provisionally placed it closest to the family
Lorisidae
Lorisidae (or sometimes Loridae) is a family of strepsirrhine primates. The lorisids are all slim arboreal animals and comprise the lorises, pottos and angwantibos. Lorisids live in tropical, central Africa as well as in south and southeast Asia. ...
, together with the potto, the
angwantibo
Angwantibos are two species of strepsirrhine primates classified in the genus ''Arctocebus'' of the family Lorisidae. They are also known as golden pottos because of their yellow or golden coloration.
Angwantibos live in tropical Africa and thei ...
s, and the
loris
Loris is the common name for the strepsirrhine mammals of the subfamily Lorinae (sometimes spelled Lorisinae) in the family Lorisidae. ''Loris'' is one genus in this subfamily and includes the slender lorises, ''Nycticebus'' is the genus contain ...
es. The discovery, published in the ''Anthropological Papers of the American Museum of Natural History'', was featured in ''
Scientific American
''Scientific American'', informally abbreviated ''SciAm'' or sometimes ''SA'', is an American popular science magazine. Many famous scientists, including Albert Einstein and Nikola Tesla, have contributed articles to it. In print since 1845, it i ...
'' and ''
Science
Science is a systematic endeavor that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe.
Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earliest archeological evidence for ...
''; the ''Science'' account noted that Schwartz thought ''Pseudopotto'' may represent a new family of primates.
In 1998, the journal ''African Primates'' published three papers by primatologists on the false potto.
Colin Groves
Colin Peter Groves (24 June 1942 – 30 November 2017) was a British-Australian biologist and anthropologist. Groves was Professor of Biological Anthropology at the Australian National University in Canberra, Australia.
Education
Born in Englan ...
affirmed that it was probably distinct from the potto and Simon Bearder cited it as an example of unrecognized taxonomic diversity in lorisids, but
Esteban Sarmiento Esteban Sarmiento is a primatologist and biologist. He is noted for his work in primate anthropology and for appearing on the '' Monster Quest'' television series.
Biography
Sarmiento earned a biological anthropology Ph.D. in 1985 and from then un ...
compared the new taxon to specimens of the potto and found that the alleged distinctive traits of the false potto in fact fell within the range of variation of the potto, and that the false potto was probably not even a species distinct from ''Perodicticus potto''. In 2000, primatologist B.S. Leon agreed that the false potto was not distinct from the
subspecies
In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...
''Perodicticus potto potto'', but noted that various forms of potto were distinct enough from each other that there may indeed be more than one species of potto. Opinions since then have been divided: a 2003 compilation of African primate diversity concluded that there was insufficient evidence that the false potto is a distinct species, the primate chapter of the 2005 third edition of ''
Mammal Species of the World
''Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference'' is a standard reference work in mammalogy giving descriptions and bibliographic data for the known species of mammals. It is now in its third edition, published in late 2005, ...
'', written by Groves, listed ''Pseudopotto'' as a genus but noted that it was "controversial"; and Schwartz continued to recognize the false potto as a genus in 2005. Also in 2005, primatologist David Stump reviewed some of the distinguishing features of ''Pseudopotto'' in the context of studying variation among pottos, and found that some but not all of the false potto's traits were found in some pottos, mainly western populations (subspecies ''potto'').
Description
![PottoCincyZoo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/93/PottoCincyZoo.jpg)
One of the specimens, AMZ 6698, is an adult female that lived in
Zürich Zoo
, neighboring_municipalities = Adliswil, Dübendorf, Fällanden, Kilchberg, Maur, Oberengstringen, Opfikon, Regensdorf, Rümlang, Schlieren, Stallikon, Uitikon, Urdorf, Wallisellen, Zollikon
, twintowns = Kunming, San Francisco
Zürich () i ...
. It is represented by a virtually complete skeleton, but the skin was not preserved. According to Schwartz, the skeleton shows signs of
osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a systemic skeletal disorder characterized by low bone mass, micro-architectural deterioration of bone tissue leading to bone fragility, and consequent increase in fracture risk. It is the most common reason for a broken bone ...
and
periodontitis
Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, is a set of inflammatory conditions affecting the tissues surrounding the teeth. In its early stage, called gingivitis, the gums become swollen and red and may bleed. It is considered the main caus ...
(common in zoo animals), but not of other pathologies or abnormalities. The right teeth were removed before Schwartz studied the specimen. Schwartz selected this specimen as the
holotype
A holotype is a single physical example (or illustration) of an organism, known to have been used when the species (or lower-ranked taxon) was formally described. It is either the single such physical example (or illustration) or one of several ...
. The other specimen, AMZ-AS 1730, is a subadult male collected in the wild, of which only the skull, including the
mandible
In anatomy, the mandible, lower jaw or jawbone is the largest, strongest and lowest bone in the human facial skeleton. It forms the lower jaw and holds the lower tooth, teeth in place. The mandible sits beneath the maxilla. It is the only movabl ...
(lower jaw), was preserved. The dentition includes both
permanent
Permanent may refer to:
Art and entertainment
* ''Permanent'' (film), a 2017 American film
* ''Permanent'' (Joy Division album)
* "Permanent" (song), by David Cook
Other uses
* Permanent (mathematics), a concept in linear algebra
* Permanent (cy ...
and
deciduous
In the fields of horticulture and Botany, the term ''deciduous'' () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, aft ...
teeth. Specimens of ''Pseudopotto'' are at least superficially similar to pottos, but according to Schwartz, they differ in a number of traits. Among lorisids, Schwartz saw similarities between the false potto and true pottos as well as angwantibos and
slow loris
Slow lorises are a group of several species of nocturnal strepsirrhine primates that make up the genus ''Nycticebus''. Found in Southeast Asia and bordering areas, they range from Bangladesh and Northeast India in the west to the Sulu Archipe ...
es (''Nycticebus''). The false potto is comparable in size to the smallest pottos, but falls within their range of metrical variation; small size is also seen in western pottos.
The tail, according to Schwartz, is longer than in the potto. He does not provide measurements of the tail of AMZ 6698 and notes that at least one vertebra is missing, but Sarmiento counted 11
caudal vertebra
The spinal column, a defining synapomorphy shared by nearly all vertebrates,Hagfish are believed to have secondarily lost their spinal column is a moderately flexible series of vertebrae (singular vertebra), each constituting a characteristic ...
e in an illustration of AMZ 6698 and Groves counted at least 15. However, Sarmiento found that the number of caudal vertebrae ranges from 5 to 17, with an average of 11, in pottos. Relatively long tails are also common in the western form of the potto, though according to Stump the tail of ''Pseudopotto'' is longer than any seen in pottos. The false potto allegedly has shorter spines on its
cervical
In anatomy, cervical is an adjective that has two meanings:
# of or pertaining to any neck.
# of or pertaining to the female cervix: i.e., the ''neck'' of the uterus.
*Commonly used medical phrases involving the neck are
**cervical collar
**cerv ...
(neck) and first and second
thoracic
The thorax or chest is a part of the anatomy of humans, mammals, and other tetrapod animals located between the neck and the abdomen. In insects, crustaceans, and the extinct trilobites, the thorax is one of the three main divisions of the crea ...
(chest) vertebrae, but Leon notes that this feature is also seen in western pottos. Schwartz writes that the false potto differs from pottos and angwantibos in lacking a bifid (two-tipped) spine on the second cervical vertebra, but Sarmiento found this feature in 3 out of 11 potto specimens he examined.
The
ulnar styloid process
The styloid process of the ulna is a bony prominence found at distal end of the ulna in the forearm.
Structure
The styloid process of the ulna projects from the medial and back part of the ulna. It descends a little lower than the head. The head ...
(a projection on the
ulna
The ulna (''pl''. ulnae or ulnas) is a long bone found in the forearm that stretches from the elbow to the smallest finger, and when in anatomical position, is found on the medial side of the forearm. That is, the ulna is on the same side of t ...
, one of the bones of the forearm, where it meets the wrist) is not as hooked as in other lorisids, according to Schwartz, which Groves suggests may indicate that the wrist is more mobile. Another alleged diagnostic feature is the presence of an
entepicondylar foramen The entepicondylar foramen is an opening in the distal (far) end of the humerus (upper arm bone) present in some mammals. It is often present in primitive placentals, such as the enigmatic Madagascan ''Plesiorycteropus''. In most Neotominae and al ...
(an opening near the distal, or far, end of the bone) on the
humerus
The humerus (; ) is a long bone in the arm that runs from the shoulder to the elbow. It connects the scapula and the two bones of the lower arm, the radius and ulna, and consists of three sections. The humeral upper extremity consists of a roun ...
(upper arm bone); however, Sarmiento found this feature in 4 out of 11 specimens, and on one side of a fifth, and Stump noted that the foramen occurred in specimens from across the potto's range.
The lacrimal fossa, a depression in the skull, is located on the upper surface of the skull in most lorisids, but Schwartz found that it was further to the back, inside the
orbit
In celestial mechanics, an orbit is the curved trajectory of an object such as the trajectory of a planet around a star, or of a natural satellite around a planet, or of an artificial satellite around an object or position in space such as a p ...
(eye socket) in the false potto and the slow loris. Sarmiento found this feature in 3 out of 11 pottos examined. The
coronoid process of the mandible
In human anatomy, the mandible's coronoid process (from Greek ''korōnē'', denoting something hooked) is a thin, triangular eminence, which is flattened from side to side and varies in shape and size. Its anterior border is convex and is continuou ...
is said to be more hooked in the false potto than in the potto and slow loris.
Other distinguishing features of the false potto are in the dentition. Sarmiento notes, however, that captive specimens may develop abnormalities in the teeth and that some dental characters Schwartz uses are quite variable, sometimes even from one side of the same individual to another. The third upper
molar (M3) is more reduced in the false potto than in any other
prosimian
Prosimians are a group of primates that includes all living and extinct Strepsirrhini, strepsirrhines (lemurs, Lorisoidea, lorisoids, and Adapiformes, adapiforms), as well as the Haplorhini, haplorhine tarsiers and their extinct relatives, the O ...
, according to Schwartz, but Leon notes that western pottos also have a relatively small M3. The third upper
premolar
The premolars, also called premolar teeth, or bicuspids, are transitional teeth located between the canine and molar teeth. In humans, there are two premolars per quadrant in the permanent set of teeth, making eight premolars total in the mouth ...
(P3) is also reduced, resembling the condition in the
fork-marked lemur
Fork-marked lemurs or fork-crowned lemurs are strepsirrhine primates; the four species comprise the genus ''Phaner''. Like all lemurs, they are native to Madagascar, where they are found only in the west, north, and east sides of the island. They ...
s (''Phaner''). Stump writes that small P3s are also common in western pottos, although the false potto's P3 is shaped differently. Groves notes that P1 is quite long, another point of similarity with the fork-marked lemurs. The lower premolars are compressed laterally in ''Pseudopotto'', the
cusps on the cheekteeth are higher, and the cristid obliqua (a crest connected to the
protoconid
Many different terms have been proposed for features of the tooth crown in mammals.
The structures within the molars receive different names according to their position and morphology. This nomenclature was developed by Henry Fairfield Osborn i ...
cusp) is at a relatively buccal position (in the direction of the cheeks).
In AMZ 6698, skull length is 59.30 mm (2.335 in) and length of the right humerus is 57.65 mm (2.27 in).
Distribution and status
According to records in the Anthropological Institute and Museum, AMZ 6698, the holotype, is from "Equatorial Africa", and AMZ-AS 1730 is from the "
Cameroons
British Cameroon or the British Cameroons was a British Empire, British League of Nations mandate, mandate territory in British West Africa, formed of the Northern Cameroons and Southern Cameroons. Today, the Northern Cameroons forms parts of th ...
". According to mammalogist Ronald Nowak, these designations imply that the latter came either from modern
Cameroon
Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...
or far eastern
Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
(
British Cameroons
British Cameroon or the British Cameroons was a British mandate territory in British West Africa, formed of the Northern Cameroons and Southern Cameroons. Today, the Northern Cameroons forms parts of the Borno, Adamawa and Taraba states of N ...
) and the former from Cameroon or a neighboring state. In 1999, Simon Bearder claimed, citing a personal communication by C. Wild, that ''Pseudopotto'' had been seen in the wild and in 2001, ornithologist Christopher Bowden noted the occurrence of ''Pseudopotto'' on
Mount Kupe
Mount Kupe or Mont Koupé is a plutonic mountain in the Western High Plateau of Cameroon, part of the Cameroon line of volcanoes. It is the highest of the Bakossi mountains, rising to .
The mountain is revered by the local Bakossi people
The Ba ...
in Cameroon, also citing C. Wild. However, the
IUCN Red List
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data Book, founded in 1964, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biol ...
notes that while sightings of the false potto at 820 to 940 m (2690 to 3080 ft) on Mount Kupe had been reported, surveys had failed to confirm its occurrence there, though pottos, some with long tails, had been found. The false potto was formerly included under the potto in the Red List, however, , it is treated as a synonym of the
Central African potto (''Perodictitus edwardsi'') due to the evidence that it is a distinct species being considered insufficient. The American Society of Mammalogists instead synonymizes it with the
West African potto
The West African potto (''Perodicticus potto'') is a species of nocturnal strepsirrhine primate. It is found in tropical West Africa. It is also known as Bosman's potto, after Willem Bosman, who described the species in 1704. It is the type speci ...
(''P. potto'').
References
Literature cited
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{{Taxonbar, from=Q1075190
Mammals described in 1996
Lorises and galagos
Primates of Africa
Controversial mammal taxa
Taxobox binomials not recognized by IUCN