Golden Angwantibo

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Golden Angwantibo[1]
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Family: Lorisidae
Subfamily: Perodicticinae
Genus: Arctocebus
Species: A. aureus
Binomial name
Arctocebus aureus
de Winton, 1902

The Golden Angwantibo (Arctocebus aureus) is a strepsirrhine primate from the family Lorisidae. It shares the Arctocebus genus with the Calabar Angwantibo (Arctocebus calabarensis) and together they are commonly called the golden pottos. The Golden Angwantibo is found in Cameroon, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. Its usual habitat is rain forest, but it has also been known to live on farmland.

Like the Calabar Angwantibo, the Golden Angwantibo weighs between 266 and 465 grams and has a stumpy tail, abbreviated index fingers, a specialised grooming claw on each foot and a white line on its face. It can be distinguished from its cousin largely by its colour. The fur on its back is red-gold, with a more muted red on its belly. Unlike the Calabar Angwantibo, the Golden Angwantibo has no nictitating membrane.

The Golden Angwantibo is a nocturnal and arboreal species that is typically found on small branches 5-15 metres above ground. Its diet consists of around 85% insects (especially caterpillars) and 14% fruit. Its foraging, antipredator, social and reproductive behaviour are extremely similar to those of the Calabar Angwantibo.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Groves, Colin (16 November 2005). in Wilson, D. E., and Reeder, D. M. (eds): Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition, Johns Hopkins University Press, 122. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. 
  2. ^ Primate Specialist Group (1996). Arctocebus aureus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 06 May 2006.

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