Needle-clawed bushbaby

Euoticus[1]
Northern needle-clawed bushbaby,
E. pallidus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Suborder: Strepsirrhini
Family: Galagidae
Genus: Euoticus
J. E. Gray, 1863
Type species
Otogale pallida
Species

Euoticus elegantulus
Euoticus pallidus

The needle-clawed bushbabies are the two species in the genus Euoticus, which is in the family Galagidae. Galagidae is sometimes included as a subfamily within the Lorisidae (or Loridae).

Unique to the needle-clawed bushbaby are the keeled nails, featuring prominent central ridges ending in needle-like points, present on all digits except the thumbs, the big toes, and the second foot phalanges which have claws.[2]

The first specimen of E. elegantulus to arrive in Europe from Africa was brought by Gerald Durrell. The uncovering of this bush baby is documented in his 1957 book A Zoo in My Luggage.[3]

The needle-clawed bushbabies have a diet that consists of insects, fruits and gums. Gum tends to be the largest contribute to their diet since 75% of their diet is base around gum.[4]

Genus Euoticus – Gray, 1863 – two species
Common name Scientific name and subspecies Range Size and ecology IUCN status and estimated population
Northern needle-clawed bushbaby

Drawing of brown bushbaby

E. pallidus
(Gray, 1863)

Two subspecies
  • E. p. pallidus (Bioko needle-clawed bushbaby)
  • E. p. talboti (Nigeria needle-clawed bushbaby)
Western equatorial Africa
Map of range 		Size: 18–33 cm (7–13 in) long, plus 28–31 cm (11–12 in) tail[5]

Habitat: Forest[6]

Diet: Tree gums and resins[6] 		 NT 


Unknown Population declining[6]

Southern needle-clawed bushbaby

Photo of brown bushbaby

E. elegantulus
(Conte, 1857) 		Western equatorial Africa
Map of range 		Size: 21–24 cm (8–9 in) long, plus 28–32 cm (11–13 in) tail[7]

Habitat: Forest[8]

Diet: Tree and liana gums and resins, as well as invertebrates[8] 		 LC 


Unknown Unknown[8]

  1. ^ Groves, C. P. (2005). "Genus Euoticus". In Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 123–124. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
  2. ^ Ankel-Simons, Friderun (2000). "Hands and Feet". Primate anatomy: an introduction. Academic Press. p. 308. ISBN 0-12-058670-3. (search pages).
  3. ^ Durrell, Gerald (1957). "The bald-headed birds". A Zoo in My Luggage. Penguin. p. 62. ISBN 0140020845.
  4. ^ Pozzi, Luca; Disotell, Todd R.; Masters, Judith C. (2014-04-02). "A multilocus phylogeny reveals deep lineages within African galagids (Primates: Galagidae)". BMC Evolutionary Biology. 14 (1): 72. doi:10.1186/1471-2148-14-72. ISSN 1471-2148. PMC 4021292. PMID 24694188.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference PocketAfricaGalagos was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference IUCNNorthernneedle-clawedbushbaby was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference ADWSouthernneedle-clawedbushbaby was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference IUCNSouthernneedle-clawedbushbaby was invoked but never defined (see the help page).