# Thick tailed bush babies



## JPReptiles (Dec 2, 2007)

Anyone have any info on these guys?..

I know someone who has some available for sale.

John


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## stubeanz (Mar 28, 2007)

all i know is that they urinate on their hands and rub themselves and their enclosure in it to mark their territory, so probably be pretty smelly:lol2:
stu


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## Buriram (Jul 17, 2006)

*Lorisidae*



Reptile world said:


> Anyone have any info on these guys?..
> 
> I know someone who has some available for sale.
> 
> John


These are the least studied of all Strepsirhine primates and most work has relied on indirect research procedures such as bioacoustic studies. Any direct research thus far has occured at sleep sites. 

Although we do know a little, the evolution of this group is unclear - an important question to ask would be is this a monophyletic clade or a spectacular example of parallel evolution?

As regards dietary information, there has only been 7 studies carried out in habitat countries.

Things we do know for sure about this group is that they exist often in sympatry with up to four species within the group, most consume some amount of gum with the aid of a 'toothcomb', nectar is also consumed. At certain sites where sympatry does occur then we know the biomass to be fairly high and thus different species forage at different levels and for different prey.

Taxonomy is difficult and very much in contention as these species are highly cryptic - here again bioascoustic studies are at the forefront of research pertaining to classification.

Bearder et all suggest 34 species of Lorisiforms.


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## Buriram (Jul 17, 2006)

*Olfactory communication in Lorisidae*



stubeanz said:


> all i know is that they urinate on their hands and rub themselves and their enclosure in it to mark their territory, so probably be pretty smelly:lol2:
> stu


You are correct in this observation but territorial marking is not the only information transmitted. Olfactory communication in Galagos, Pottos and Lorises is still in its infancy as regards conclusive studies.

It is true also that Lorisidae are able to secrete a toxic substance from their brachial sebacious glands that can prove harmful to human and non-human predators alike.

Lorisiforms also possess an elongated cecum with special micro-organisms that assist in the digestion of gums.


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## stubeanz (Mar 28, 2007)

thanks for that buriram a very intresting read. are you currently/have in the past studied these then? 
stu


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## Buriram (Jul 17, 2006)

I have carried out research on Tarsiers in the Phillippines but that is the closest I have come to researching 'bush-baby like primates', however as background research to studies involving other prosimians and the comparisons we can draw with Lorisiforms, I have read many papers concerning this group. There is great demand for information on the bush babies however and I would not rule out making a contribution.


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