Sunda Slow Loris (Miniatureplanet Vol. 19 by Eikoh)

Review and images by stemturtle; edited by bmathison1972

The Sunda slow loris, Nycticebus coucang, was released in 2020 by Eikoh, Miniatureplanet, Vol. 19. This strepsirrhine or prosimian occurs in, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and Indonesia (Borneo, Java, Sulawesi, Sumatra). It probably shares a distant ancestor with the African potto. Both are nocturnal and move slowly through the treetops to avoid detection by predators. The diet is fruit, gum, nectar, and invertebrates. The presence of a slow loris is an indicator of a healthy tropical forest.

Local children keep the cute primate as a living toy, although it does not fare well in captivity. A brachial gland on the arm secretes toxin. This oil is wiped on the toothcomb while grooming, used primarily for disputes with other lorises, and for defense. When the toxin is mixed with saliva, a bite can cause anaphylactic shock to a human. The slow loris is endangered due to habitat loss and the wildlife trade.

Next we discuss the excellent figure. The Sunda slow loris has a dark dorsal stripe with a distinct fork before it meets the eyes, a key to identification. The dark teardrop-shaped mask around each eye is not well defined, perhaps constrained by the small size. A vertical white stripe between the eyes was omitted during painting. The coat is brown, tinged with orange. Variability makes it hard to identify the species.

Figure length of 1.6 in. (4 cm.) gives a scale of about 1:7 for the average length of 11.5 in. (29.2 cm.). The tail is vestigial. Takara Tomy A.R.T S. and Natural History (Naturally Adorkable) have each issued a slow loris figure.

The word Eikoh is marked on the light-colored underside. Species ID is not given. I like the quadrupedal pose, showing the reduced index finger and opposable big toe, adaptations for grasping branches. The figure is sold in Japan and shows up on eBay. At the time of this review, airmail shipping was suspended from Japan to the USA.