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This paper provides a checklist and summary of what is currently known of the variation in infant contact, sleeping site preference and aspects of social cohesion in the nocturnal primates of Africa. Genera and species are compared, based on previously unpublished field observations and a review of the literature. There is a clear pattern of similarity between the species within each genus and distinct differences between genera. Species in the same genus tend to be ecologically equivalent and replace each other allopatrically, whereas species in different genera are more likely to be sympatric, with up to 6 species living together. Maximum sympatry within genera is found in Otolemur and Galagoİdes, where species are ecologically divergent. This may reflect an ancient origin of species within these genera or suggest that further taxonomic revision is required at the generic level. Some data are recorded for the first time for species that have only recently been separated (cryptic species), but some taxa remain very poorly known. It is concluded that field studies are still at an elementary stage and further research with radio tracking is urgently needed in the face of rapidly declining habitats.

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 b gene for 86 lorisiform specimens, including ∼80% of all the species currently recognized. Our results support the monophyly of the Galagidae, but a common ancestry of the Lorisinae and Perodicticinae (family Lorisidae) was not recovered. These three lineages have early origins, with the Galagidae and the Lorisinae diverging in the Oligocene at about 30 Mya and the Perodicticinae emerging in the early Miocene. Our mitochondrial phylogeny agrees with recent studies based on nuclear data, and supports Euoticus as the oldest galagid lineage and the polyphyletic status of Galagoides. Moreover, we have elucidated phylogenetic relationships for several species never included before in a molecular phylogeny. The results obtained in this study suggest that lorisiform diversity remains substantially underestimated and that previously unnoticed cryptic diversity might be present within many lineages, thus urgently requiring a comprehensive taxonomic revision of this primate group. © 2015 The Linnean Society of London

Aim Detailed knowledge of species distributions, endemism patterns and threats is critical to site prioritization and conservation planning. However, data from biodiversity inventories are still limited, especially for tropical forests, and even well recognized hotspots remain understudied. We provide an example of how updated knowledge on species occurrence from strategically directed biodiversity surveys can change knowledge on perceived biodiversity importance, and facilitate understanding diversity patterns and the delivery of conservation recommendations.Location Eastern Arc Mountains (EAM), Kenya and Tanzania.Methods We surveyed amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals during 2005-2009, targeting mountain blocks that had been poorly surveyed or unsurveyed by the early Noughties. We combined new and old data to produce a database of species presence by mountain block spanning four decades of research. Species richness is regressed against survey effort, funding, ecological and human disturbance factors to analyse the best predictors of vertebrate richness across mountain blocks. Similarity among species assemblages among blocks is analysed using dissimilarity analysis.Results New surveys raised the number of endemic and regional endemic vertebrates by 24% (from 170 to 211 species), including 27 new species of which 23 are amphibians and reptiles. Vertebrate richness is best explained by forest area, but rainfall is also important, especially for amphibians and reptiles. Forest elevational range is important for mammals and for block-endemic birds. Funding explains 19% of the variation in total species richness, while survey effort generally explains < 10% of variance. Cluster analysis shows that species assemblages are partitioned by geographical proximity among mountain blocks.Main conclusions The biological value of the EAM has been underestimated, and strategic surveys are important even in well-recognized hotspots. The exceptional and global importance of these mountains for endemic vertebrates is highlighted, supporting the development of a network of Nature Reserves and the proposed inclusion within UNESCO's natural World Heritage Sites.

A new species of sengi, or elephant-shrew, is described. It was discovered in the northern Udzungwa Mountains of Tanzania in 2005. Sengis (Order Macroscelidea, super-cohort Afrotheria) include four genera and 15 species of mammals that are endemic to Africa. This discovery is a significant contribution to the systematics of this small order. Based on 49 camera trap images, 40 sightings and five voucher specimens, the new sengi is diurnal and distinguished from the other three species of Rhynchocyon by a grizzled grey face, pale yellow to cream chest and chin, orange-rufous sides, maroon back and jet-black lower rump and thighs. The body weight of the new species is about 700 g, which is 25-50% greater than any other giant sengi. The new Rhynchocyon is only known from two populations that cover about 300 km 2 of montane forest. It has an estimated density of 50-80 individuals km À2. This discovery has important implications for the conservation of the high biodiversity that is found in the forests of the Eastern Arc Mountains.

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65sleep and sleep site selection, a comparative approach is required (Elgar, Pagel and Harvey, 1988; 66 Lesku, Roth II, Amlaner and Lima, 2006;Rattenborg, Martinez-Gonzalez and Lesku, 2009). Sleep can 67 comprise more than 50% of a primate's activity budget (Campbell and Tobler, 1984 79that are self-constructed or constructed by other species. Use of nests (either self-constructed or made in 80 tree holes or hollows) and platforms as sleep sites is common among strepsirhines and great apes, and, 81 presumably, the earliest humans (Sabater, Veá and Serrallonga, 1997;Bearder et al., 2003; Fultz, Brent, 82 Breaux and Grand, 2013;Samson and Shumaker, 2015b), but are rarely used by other haplorhines. 83Samson and Nunn (2015) distinguished these assembled nests, on the basis that for larger primates, tree 84 hollows would not be a viable sleeping option, and suggest that ancestral Paleocene and Eocene 85primates probably had galago-like fixed point nest use. Since most monkeys do not use nests, nest use 86 must have evolved multiple times. To be able to infer potential sleep site patterns in early primates (i.e. 87the ones for which only morphological data are available), we also must examine how body size, forelimb 88 to hindlimb ratio, and hand dexterity combine to assist living primates in their sleep site choices (Covert, 89 2002; Gebo and Dagosto, 2004). 4To examine the question further, Kappeler (1998) Rasmussen (1986) and Ehrlich and MacBride, (1989)]. 98Regarding the paucity of field data on many primate taxa, he urged further research of wild primates to 99 understand better the evolution of sleep site selection. 105In the twenty-first century, substantial taxonomic changes have occurred for both the African and Asian 106 lorisiforms. First, the dwarf galagos of the genus Galagoides were recognized as a polyphyletic clade 107 (Pozzi et al., 2015), and now are comprised of Galagoides (western and central Africa) and Paragalago 108(eastern Africa). Paragalago is a sister taxon to the genus Galago, and Galagoides and is a sister taxon 109 to the clade containing Sciurocheirus, Otolemur, Paragalago and Galago (Masters et al., 2017 132These data can be used as a basis to understanding ancestral sleep behavior of primates that can help to 133 inform sleep patterns that occurred later in primate evolution. 135 MATERIAL AND METHODS 136We follow the taxonomy of Nekaris 174To gain insight into sleep patterns and the presence of fragmented sleep in the lorisiforms, we compiled 175 data on when individuals entered and exited sleep sites. From selected sites, we added information on 176 pre-or post-dusk waking and pre-or post-dawn sleeping. We added observations of sleep during the 177 night or non-sleep behavior during the day. 178We examined evidence of predation on lorisiforms and highlight those instances where the events 179 occurred while the animal was asleep, or where we could reasonably infer that predation had taken place 180 during the daytime. We excluded predation events by nocturnal p...

This discovery points to the importance of Angolan forests as refuges for endemic biodiversity. These forests are under severe threat from overexploitation, and there is an urgent need to establish conservation measures and designate protected areas.