Infant development in two prosimian species: Greater galago and slow loris

Abstract

Abstract Infant development in 2 prosimian species‐‐greater galago and slow loris‐‐was studied in 2 ways. First, the initial appearance and/or the eventual disappearance of various simple motor behaviors in infants was recorded. Second, the time spent by mothers and infants in contact, near, and away from each other was measured during the first 10 weeks of life. The aim was to see how the 2 sets of measures relate to each other and also to compare the 2 prosimian species with each other and with other primates. The results showed that: (1) contrary to the views advanced by some authors, the speed with which simple motor behaviors attain the adult form is not related in any consistent way to phyletic status, age at which sexual maturity is reached, or the mother's ability to provide manual support for her infant; (2) the pattern of mother‐infant interaction is more variable in prosimian than in anthropoid primates; and (3) the disappearance of involuntary foot‐grasping coincides with the initiatior of infant independence from the mother.