science

Lorisidae

Lorisidae is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Lorisidae rather than just read about it. In short: Lorisidae (or sometimes Loridae) is a family of strepsirrhine primates. The lorisids are all slim arboreal animals and comprise the lorises, pottos, and angwantibos.

Key takeaways

Lorisidae belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Lorisidae to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Lorisidae from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

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.

Classification

There are five genera and sixteen species of lorisid.

Order Primates Suborder Strepsirrhini: non-tarsier prosimians Infraorder Lemuriformes Superfamily Lemuroidea Superfamily Lorisoidea Family Lorisidae Subfamily Perodicticinae Genus Arctocebus, angwantibos Genus Perodicticus, pottos Subfamily Lorisinae Genus Loris, slender lorises Genus Nycticebus, slow lorises Genus Xanthonycticebus, pygmy slow loris Family Galagidae: galagos Suborder Haplorrhini: tarsiers, monkeys and apes

Description Lorisids have a close, woolly fur, which is usually grey or brown, darker on the top side. The eyes are large and face forward. The ears are small and often partially hidden in the fur. The thumbs are opposable and the index finger is short. The second toe of the hind legs has a fine claw for grooming, typical for strepsirrhines. Their tails are short or are missing completely. They grow to a length of 17 to 40 cm and a weight of between 0.3 and 2 kg, depending on the species. Their dental formula is similar to that of lemurs: 2.1.3.32.1.3.3

Behavior and ecology Lorisids are nocturnal and arboreal. Unlike the closely related galagos, lorisids never jump. Some have slow deliberate movements, whilst others can move with some speed across branches. It was previously thought that all lorisids moved slowly, but investigations using red light proved this to be wrong. Nonetheless, even the faster species freeze or move slowly if they hear or see any potential predator. This habit of remaining motionless whilst in danger is successful only because of the leafy environment of their jungle home, which helps to conceal their true position. With their strong hands they clasp at the branches and cannot be removed without significant force. Most lorisids are solitary or live in small family groups. Slow lorises from southeast Asia produce a secretion from their brachial gland (a scent gland on the upper arm, between the axilla and elbow), that is licked and mixed with their saliva to form a toxin which may be used for defense. The slender lorises from Sri Lanka and South India also possess these brachial glands, but it is uncertain whether they also synthesize the toxin. The potto (Perodicticus potto) is thought to lack brachial glands, though it produces similar toxic excretions with its anal glands. Lorisids have a gestation period of four to six months and give birth to two young. These often clasp themselves to the belly of the mother or wait in nests, while the mother goes to search for food. After three to nine months - depending on the species - they are weaned and are fully mature within 10 to 18 months. The life expectancy of lorises can be to up to 20 years. Lorisids consume insects, bird eggs and small vertebrates as well as fruits and gums.

References

Literature cited

External links

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Lorisidae

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Lorisidae claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Lorisidae before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Lorisidae ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Lorisidae

In research: Lorisidae appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Lorisidae in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Lorisidae is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Arboreal mammals, Extant Miocene first appearances, Lorises, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Lorisidae outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Lorisidae in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Lorisidae means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Lorisidae out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Lorisidae in simple terms?

Lorisidae (or sometimes Loridae) is a family of strepsirrhine primates. The lorisids are all slim arboreal animals and comprise the lorises, pottos, and angwantibos.

Why does Lorisidae matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Lorisidae?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Lorisidae.