Cheirogaleidae
Encyclopedia
Cheirogaleidae is the family of strepsirrhine primate
s that contains the various dwarf and mouse lemurs. Like all other lemur
s, cheirogaleids live exclusively on the island of Madagascar
.
Dwarf and mouse lemurs are nocturnal and arboreal. They are excellent climbers and can also jump far, using their long tail for balance. When on the ground (a rare occurrence) they move by hopping on their hind legs. They spend the day in tree hollows or leaf nests. Cheirogaleids are typically solitary but sometimes live together in pairs.
Their eyes possess a tapetum lucidum
, a light-reflecting layer that improves their night vision. Some species, such as the Lesser Dwarf Lemur
, store fat at the hind legs and the base of the tail and hibernate. Unlike lemurid
s, they have long upper incisor
s, although they do have the comb-like teeth typical of all strepsirhines. They have the dental formula
:
Cheirogaleids are omnivore
s, eating fruits, flowers and leaves (and sometimes nectar) as well as insects, spiders and small vertebrates.
The females usually have three pairs of nipples. After a meager 60 day gestation, they will bear two to four (usually two or three) young. After five to six weeks these are weaned and become fully mature near the end of their first year or sometime in their second year, depending on the species. In human care, they can live for up to 15 years, although their life expectancy in the wild is probably significantly shorter.
of cheirogaleids contain 32 species
.
, the correct name for this family should be Microcebidae, but the name Cheirogaleidae has been retained for stability.In 2008, 7 new species of Microcebus were formally recognized, but Microcebus lokobensis (Lokobe Mouse Lemur) was not among the additions. Therefore its status as a species is still questionable.
Primate
A primate is a mammal of the order Primates , which contains prosimians and simians. Primates arose from ancestors that lived in the trees of tropical forests; many primate characteristics represent adaptations to life in this challenging three-dimensional environment...
s that contains the various dwarf and mouse lemurs. Like all other lemur
Lemur
Lemurs are a clade of strepsirrhine primates endemic to the island of Madagascar. They are named after the lemures of Roman mythology due to the ghostly vocalizations, reflective eyes, and the nocturnal habits of some species...
s, cheirogaleids live exclusively on the island of Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
.
Characteristics
Cheirogaleids are smaller than the other lemurs and, in fact, they are the smallest primates. They have a soft, long fur colored grey-brown to reddish on top with a generally brighter underbelly. Typically they have small ears, large, close set eyes, and long hind legs. Like all strepsirrhines they have fine claws at the second toe of the hind legs. They grow to a size of only 13 to 28 cm, with a tail that is very long, sometimes up to one and a half times as long as the body. They weigh no more than 500 grams, with some species weighing as little as 60 grams.Dwarf and mouse lemurs are nocturnal and arboreal. They are excellent climbers and can also jump far, using their long tail for balance. When on the ground (a rare occurrence) they move by hopping on their hind legs. They spend the day in tree hollows or leaf nests. Cheirogaleids are typically solitary but sometimes live together in pairs.
Their eyes possess a tapetum lucidum
Tapetum lucidum
The tapetum lucidum is a layer of tissue in the eye of many vertebrate animals....
, a light-reflecting layer that improves their night vision. Some species, such as the Lesser Dwarf Lemur
Lesser Dwarf Lemur
The fat-tailed dwarf lemur , also known as the lesser dwarf lemur, western fat-tailed dwarf lemur, or spiny forest dwarf lemur, is one of the smallest primates. It is endemic to Madagascar....
, store fat at the hind legs and the base of the tail and hibernate. Unlike lemurid
Lemuridae
Lemuridae is a family of prosimian primates native to Madagascar, and one of five families commonly known as lemurs. These animals were thought to be the evolutionary predecessors of monkeys and apes, but this is no longer considered correct...
s, they have long upper incisor
Incisor
Incisors are the first kind of tooth in heterodont mammals. They are located in the premaxilla above and mandible below.-Function:...
s, although they do have the comb-like teeth typical of all strepsirhines. They have the dental formula
Dentition
Dentition pertains to the development of teeth and their arrangement in the mouth. In particular, the characteristic arrangement, kind, and number of teeth in a given species at a given age...
:
Cheirogaleids are omnivore
Omnivore
Omnivores are species that eat both plants and animals as their primary food source...
s, eating fruits, flowers and leaves (and sometimes nectar) as well as insects, spiders and small vertebrates.
The females usually have three pairs of nipples. After a meager 60 day gestation, they will bear two to four (usually two or three) young. After five to six weeks these are weaned and become fully mature near the end of their first year or sometime in their second year, depending on the species. In human care, they can live for up to 15 years, although their life expectancy in the wild is probably significantly shorter.
Classification
The five generaGenus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of cheirogaleids contain 32 species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
.
- Infraorder Lemuriformes
- Family Cheirogaleidae
- Genus Cheirogaleus: dwarf lemurs
- C. medius group
- Fat-tailed Dwarf LemurFat-tailed dwarf lemurThe fat-tailed dwarf lemur , also known as the lesser dwarf lemur, western fat-tailed dwarf lemur, or spiny forest dwarf lemur, is one of the smallest primates. It is endemic to Madagascar....
, Cheirogaleus medius - Southern Fat-tailed Dwarf Lemur, Cheirogaleus adipicaudatus
- Fat-tailed Dwarf Lemur
- C. major group
- Greater Dwarf LemurGreater Dwarf LemurThe greater dwarf lemur , or the Geoffroy's dwarf lemur, is a lemur that is widely distributed over the primary and secondary forests near the eastern coast of Madagascar....
, Cheirogaleus major - Furry-eared Dwarf LemurFurry-eared Dwarf LemurThe furry-eared dwarf lemur , or Crossley's dwarf lemur, only found on the island of Madagascar, as with all other lemurs. It has a pelage coloration that is red-brown dorsally and gray ventrally. The eye-rings of this species are blackish and the ears are black inside and out. The dental formula...
, Cheirogaleus crossleyi - Lesser Iron-gray Dwarf LemurLesser Iron-gray Dwarf LemurThe lesser iron-gray dwarf lemur , or large iron-gray dwarf lemur, is a small nocturnal lemur endemic to Madagascar.This species is only known from Ambositra....
, Cheirogaleus minusculus - Greater Iron-gray Dwarf Lemur, Cheirogaleus ravus
- Sibree's Dwarf LemurSibree's Dwarf LemurSibree's dwarf lemur is a small nocturnal lemur endemic to Madagascar.The name of this dwarf lemur commemorates the English missionary and naturalist James Sibree ....
, Cheirogaleus sibreei
- Greater Dwarf Lemur
- C. medius group
- Genus Microcebus: mouse lemurs
- Gray Mouse LemurGray Mouse LemurThe gray mouse lemur , or lesser mouse lemur, is a small lemur, a type of strepsirrhine primate, found only on the island of Madagascar. Weighing , it is the largest of the mouse lemurs , a group which include the smallest primates in the world...
, Microcebus murinus - Reddish-gray Mouse LemurReddish-gray Mouse LemurThe reddish-gray mouse lemur also known as the gray-brown mouse lemur or rufous-gray mouse lemur, is found in Western Madagascar in the region around Beza Mahafaly Reserve, north to Lamboharana....
, Microcebus griseorufus - Golden-brown Mouse Lemur, Microcebus ravelobensis
- Northern Rufous Mouse LemurNorthern Rufous Mouse LemurThe northern rufous mouse lemur , northern brown mouse lemur, or Tavaratra mouse lemur is found in North-western Madagascar in Ankarana Reserve....
, Microcebus tavaratra - Sambirano Mouse LemurSambirano Mouse LemurThe Sambirano mouse lemur is a small, recently discovered primate, and like the other mouse lemurs can only be found on the island of Madagascar. The dorsal side is both cinnamon and rufous-cinnamon, and is grey ventrally...
, Microcebus sambiranensis - Simmons' Mouse LemurSimmons' Mouse LemurSimmons' mouse lemur is a species of mouse lemur known only from Betampona Special Reserve and Zahamena National Park in Madagascar....
, Microcebus simmonsi - Pygmy Mouse Lemur, Microcebus myoxinus
- Brown Mouse Lemur, Microcebus rufus
- Madame Berthe's Mouse LemurMadame Berthe's Mouse LemurMadame Berthe's mouse lemur or Berthe's mouse lemur is the smallest of the mouse lemurs and the smallest primate in the world; the average body length is and seasonal weight is around...
, Microcebus berthae - Goodman's Mouse LemurGoodman's Mouse LemurGoodman's mouse lemur is a species of mouse lemur from Andasibe in eastern Madagascar. It is thought to have diverged from other mouse lemurs in the region about 2 million years ago....
, Microcebus lehilahytsara - Jolly's Mouse LemurJolly's Mouse LemurJolly's mouse lemur is a species of mouse lemur from Mananjary and Kianjavato in Madagascar.The species is named in honor of primatologist Alison Jolly....
, Microcebus jollyae - MacArthur's Mouse LemurMacArthur's Mouse LemurMacArthur's mouse lemur , or Anjiahely mouse lemur, is a species of mouse lemur known only from an Inter-River-System in the eastern Makira Natural Park in Madagascar....
, Microcebus macarthurii - Mittermeier's Mouse LemurMittermeier's Mouse LemurMittermeier's mouse lemur is a species of mouse lemur known only from Anjanaharibe-Sud Special Reserve in Madagascar....
, Microcebus mittermeieri - Claire's Mouse LemurClaire's Mouse LemurClaire's mouse lemur , or Nosy Be mouse lemur, is a newly described species of lemur from the genus of the mouse lemurs . It lives on the island Nosy Bé in the Antsiranana province of Madagascar, and on the mainland near the village of Manehoka, including Lokobe Reserve...
, Microcebus mamiratra - Bongolava Mouse LemurBongolava mouse lemurThe Bongolava mouse lemur is a species of mouse lemur endemic to Madagascar. It lives in western deciduous forest within a limited range, including Bongolava Forest and Ambodimahabibo Forest between the Sofia River and the Mahajamba River...
, Microcebus bongolavensis - Danfoss' Mouse LemurDanfoss' Mouse LemurDanfoss' mouse lemur , or Ambarijeby mouse lemur, is a species of mouse lemur endemic to Madagascar. It lives in western deciduous forest within a limited range between the Sofia River and the Maevarano River...
, Microcebus danfossi - Arnhold's Mouse LemurArnhold's Mouse LemurArnhold's mouse lemur or Montagne d’Ambre mouse lemur is a species of mouse lemur endemic to Madagascar. Its holotype was first collected on 27 November 2005, and was first described in 2008. According to genetic tests, it is genetically distinct from its closest sister taxa, the Sambirano mouse...
, Microcebus arnholdi - Margot Marsh's Mouse LemurMargot Marsh's Mouse LemurMargot Marsh's mouse lemur or the Antafondro mouse lemur is a species of mouse lemur endemic to Madagascar. Its holotype was first collected on 21 May 2006, proposed in 2006 by Andriantompohavana et al., and was formally described in 2008 by E...
, Microcebus margotmarshae
- Gray Mouse Lemur
- Genus MirzaGiant mouse lemurThe giant mouse lemurs are small lemur species in the genus Mirza. They are native to the western deciduous forests of Madagascar, usually located near the coast or other sources of water...
: giant mouse lemurs- Coquerel's Giant Mouse Lemur or Coquerel's Dwarf Lemur, Mirza coquereli
- Northern Giant Mouse LemurNorthern Giant Mouse LemurThe northern giant mouse lemur , or northern dwarf lemur, was discovered to be a species in 2005 by Kappeler et al. from the German primates centre and the University of Göttingen. Before, both populations of giant mouse lemurs were believed to belong to one species. The northern giant mouse lemurs...
, Mirza zaza
- Genus AllocebusHairy-eared Dwarf LemurThe hairy-eared dwarf lemur , or hairy-eared mouse lemur, is a nocturnal lemur endemic to Madagascar. It is the only member of the genus Allocebus. This species is critically endangered and the population is estimated at 100-1000 individuals. They all live a single location in the northeastern part...
- Hairy-eared Dwarf LemurHairy-eared Dwarf LemurThe hairy-eared dwarf lemur , or hairy-eared mouse lemur, is a nocturnal lemur endemic to Madagascar. It is the only member of the genus Allocebus. This species is critically endangered and the population is estimated at 100-1000 individuals. They all live a single location in the northeastern part...
, Allocebus trichotis
- Hairy-eared Dwarf Lemur
- Genus Phaner: fork-crowned lemurs
- Masoala Fork-crowned LemurMasoala Fork-crowned LemurThe Masoala fork-marked lemur , also known as the eastern fork-marked lemur or Masoala fork-crowned lemur, is found in the coastal forests of northern and western Madagascar....
, Phaner furcifer - Pale Fork-crowned LemurPale Fork-crowned LemurThe pale fork-marked lemur , or western fork-marked lemur, is known from western Madagascar; south of the Fiherenana River to the region of Soalala....
, Phaner pallescens - Pariente's Fork-crowned LemurPariente's Fork-crowned LemurThe Pariente's fork-marked lemur , or Sambirano fork-marked lemur is a species of lemur endemic to the Sambirano region of north-western Madagascar...
, Phaner parienti - Mt. d’Ambre Fork-crowned Lemur, Phaner electromontis
- Masoala Fork-crowned Lemur
- Genus Cheirogaleus: dwarf lemurs
- Family Cheirogaleidae
Footnotes
According to the letter of the International Code of Zoological NomenclatureInternational Code of Zoological Nomenclature
The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature is a widely accepted convention in zoology that rules the formal scientific naming of organisms treated as animals...
, the correct name for this family should be Microcebidae, but the name Cheirogaleidae has been retained for stability.In 2008, 7 new species of Microcebus were formally recognized, but Microcebus lokobensis (Lokobe Mouse Lemur) was not among the additions. Therefore its status as a species is still questionable.