Remarkable ancient divergences amongst neglected lorisiform primates.

Lorisiform primates (Primates: Strepsirrhini: Lorisiformes) represent almost 10% of the living primate species and are widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa and South/South-East Asia; however, their taxonomy, evolutionary history, and biogeography are still poorly understood. In this study we report the largest molecular phylogeny in terms of the number of represented taxa. We sequenced the complete mitochondrial cytochrome gene for 86 lorisiform specimens, including ∼80% of all the species currently recognized.

Dental disease in slender lorises (Loris tardigradus).

Necropsies were performed in 25 slender lorises (Loris tardigradus) from a colony at Bochum University. In seven adult individuals, teeth were missing, loose, or severely affected by dental calculus. In one of these cases, a severe periodontal disease was seen without abscess formation.

Gallstones in slender lorises (Loris tardigradus).

A total of 32 slender lorises (Loris tardigradus) kept in captivity were investigated postmortem. In five adult lorises (4 females, 1 male), the gallbladder contained either one gallstone or multiple gallstones. Except for one 5-yr-old female, the affected individuals were between 11 and 13 yr of age.

Polycystic nephropathy in slender lorises (Loris lydekkerianus).

In a colony of slender lorises, 20 deaths that occurred over a period of 11 years were investigated postmortem. Juvenile/adult polycystic nephropathy was observed in one newborn and 13 adult slender lorises. Although polycystic kidney disease (PKD) in humans and other animals is known to be inherited, it is not clear whether kidney alterations in slender lorises are genetically transmitted, stress related, or induced by microbiological influences.