[Daily article] January 3: False potto Published On

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 skeletal
specimens of uncertain provenance that had previously been identified as
pottos. Schwartz thought the false potto could 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; specifically, the false potto shares several features
with West African pottos. The false potto 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, an entepicondylar foramen (an opening
in the humerus, or upper arm bone), a lacrimal fossa (a depression in
the skull) that is located inside the eye socket, a smaller upper third
premolar and molar, and higher-crowned cheekteeth. However, many of
these traits are variable among pottos; for example, one researcher
found entepicondylar foramina in almost half of the specimens in his
sample of pottos.

Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_potto>

_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:

1888:

The 36 in (91 cm) refracting telescope at the Lick
Observatory near San Jose, California, at the time the largest in the
world, was used for the first time.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lick_Observatory>

1911:

A 7.7 Mw earthquake destroyed the city of Almaty in Russian
Turkestan.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1911_Kebin_earthquake>

1949:

The first Central Bank of the Philippines was formally
inaugurated with Miguel Cuaderno, Sr. as the first governor.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangko_Sentral_ng_Pilipinas>

1973:

American businessman George Steinbrenner and a group of
investors bought the New York Yankees professional baseball team for
US$8.7 million.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Yankees>

2002:

Israeli forces seized the MV Karine A, which was carrying 50
tons of weapons being smuggled in on behalf of the Palestinian
Authority.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karine_A_Affair>

_____________________________
Wiktionary's word of the day:

cacophonous:
Containing, consisting of, or producing harsh, unpleasant or discordant
sounds.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cacophonous>

___________________________
Wikiquote quote of the day:

  It is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to
do what is in us for the succour of those years wherein we are set,
uprooting the evil in the fields that we know, so that those who live
after may have clean earth to till. What weather they shall have is not
ours to rule.  
--The Return of the King
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/The_Return_of_the_King>

_______________________________________________
Wikipedia Daily Article mailing list.
To unsubscribe, visit:
https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/daily-article-l
Questions or comments? Contact dal-feedback@wikimedia.org