The false potto is a lorisoid primate of uncertain taxonomic 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 previously identified as pottos. The specific name, martini, honors primatologist Robert D. Martin.
About False potto in brief
The false potto is a lorisoid primate of uncertain taxonomic 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 previously identified as pottos. The precise provenance of the two specimens is unknown, and one is represented by a complete skeleton and the other by a skull only. Schwartz thought thefalse potto could even represent a separate family, but other researchers have argued that the supposed distinguishing features of the animal do not actually distinguish it from the potto. The generic name combines the element pseudo- with \”potto\”, referring to superficial similarities between the new form and the poto. The specific name, martini, honors primatologist Robert D. Martin. The false poto 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, and higher-crowned cheekteeth, among other traits.
One researcher found entepicondylar foramina in almost half of the specimens in his sample of potto. A 2003 compilation of African primate diversity concluded that there was insufficient evidence that the false potteo is a distinct species. The primate chapter of the 2005 third edition of Mammal Species of the World, written by Groves, listed Pseudoopotto as a genus but noted that it was \”controversial\”; and Schwartz continued to recognize the falsepotto as an genus in 2005. The other holotype is an adult female that lived in Zürich Zoo, but was not preserved by the skin, but showed signs of osteoporosis and periodontitis.
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This page is based on the article False potto published in Wikipedia (as of Nov. 06, 2020) and was automatically summarized using artificial intelligence.
