Lemuridae
Encyclopedia
Lemuridae is a family
of prosimian
primate
s native to Madagascar
, and one of five families commonly known as lemur
s. These animals were thought to be the evolutionary predecessors of monkey
s and ape
s, but this is no longer considered correct. The family gets its name from the Ancient Roman
belief that the animals were ghosts or spirits ('lemures'), because many species are nocturnal.
al movement (unlike the sportive lemur
s). Most species are highly agile, and regularly leap several metres between trees. They have a good sense of smell
and binocular vision
. Unlike most other lemurs, all but one species of lemurid (the Ring-tailed Lemur
) lack a tapetum lucidum
, a reflective layer in the eye that improves night vision.
Lemurids are herbivorous
, eating fruit, leaves, and, in some cases, nectar. For the most part, they have the dental formula
:
With most lemurids, the mother gives birth to one or two young after a gestation
period of between 120 and 140 days, depending on species. Though the ruffed lemur
species are the only lemurids that have true litters, consisting of anywhere from 2 to 6 offspring. They are generally sociable animals, living in groups of up to thirty individuals in some species. In some cases, such as the Ring-tailed Lemur, the groups are long-lasting, with distinct dominance hierarchies, while in others, such as the Common Brown Lemur
, the membership of the groups varies from day to day, and seems to have no clear social structure.
, and 22 species.
FAMILY LEMURIDAE
This family was once broken into two subfamilies, Hapalemurinae (bamboo lemur
s and the Greater Bamboo Lemur
) and Lemurinae (the rest of the family), but molecular evidence and scent glands similarities have since placed the Ring-tailed Lemur
with the bamboo lemurs and the Greater Bamboo Lemur.
Lemur species in the Eulemur are known to interbreed, despite having dramatically different chromosome
numbers. Red-fronted (2N=60) and Collared
(2N=50–52) Brown Lemurs were found to hybridize at Berenty Reserve
, Madagascar
.
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
of prosimian
Prosimian
Prosimians are a grouping of mammals defined as being primates, but not monkeys or apes. They include, among others, lemurs, bushbabies, and tarsiers. They are considered to have characteristics that are more primitive than those of monkeys and apes. Prosimians are the only primates native to...
primate
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 native to Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
, and one of five families commonly known as 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. These animals were thought to be the evolutionary predecessors of monkey
Monkey
A monkey is a primate, either an Old World monkey or a New World monkey. There are about 260 known living species of monkey. Many are arboreal, although there are species that live primarily on the ground, such as baboons. Monkeys are generally considered to be intelligent. Unlike apes, monkeys...
s and ape
Ape
Apes are Old World anthropoid mammals, more specifically a clade of tailless catarrhine primates, belonging to the biological superfamily Hominoidea. The apes are native to Africa and South-east Asia, although in relatively recent times humans have spread all over the world...
s, but this is no longer considered correct. The family gets its name from the Ancient Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
belief that the animals were ghosts or spirits ('lemures'), because many species are nocturnal.
Characteristics
Lemurids are medium-sized arboreal primates, ranging from 32 to 56 cm in length, excluding the tail, and weighing from 0.7 to 5 kg. They have long, bushy tails and soft, woolly fur of varying coloration. The hindlegs are slightly longer than the forelegs, although not enough to hamper fully quadrupedQuadruped
Quadrupedalism is a form of land animal locomotion using four limbs or legs. An animal or machine that usually moves in a quadrupedal manner is known as a quadruped, meaning "four feet"...
al movement (unlike the sportive lemur
Sportive lemur
The sportive lemurs are the medium sized primates that make up the Lepilemuridae family. The family consists of only one extant genus, Lepilemur, as well as the extinct genus Megaladapis. They are closely related to the other lemurs and exclusively live on the island of Madagascar...
s). Most species are highly agile, and regularly leap several metres between trees. They have a good sense of smell
Olfaction
Olfaction is the sense of smell. This sense is mediated by specialized sensory cells of the nasal cavity of vertebrates, and, by analogy, sensory cells of the antennae of invertebrates...
and binocular vision
Binocular vision
Binocular vision is vision in which both eyes are used together. The word binocular comes from two Latin roots, bini for double, and oculus for eye. Having two eyes confers at least four advantages over having one. First, it gives a creature a spare eye in case one is damaged. Second, it gives a...
. Unlike most other lemurs, all but one species of lemurid (the Ring-tailed Lemur
Ring-tailed Lemur
The ring-tailed lemur is a large strepsirrhine primate and the most recognized lemur due to its long, black and white ringed tail. It belongs to Lemuridae, one of five lemur families. It is the only member of the Lemur genus. Like all lemurs it is endemic to the island of Madagascar...
) lack a tapetum lucidum
Tapetum lucidum
The tapetum lucidum is a layer of tissue in the eye of many vertebrate animals....
, a reflective layer in the eye that improves night vision.
Lemurids are herbivorous
Herbivore
Herbivores are organisms that are anatomically and physiologically adapted to eat plant-based foods. Herbivory is a form of consumption in which an organism principally eats autotrophs such as plants, algae and photosynthesizing bacteria. More generally, organisms that feed on autotrophs in...
, eating fruit, leaves, and, in some cases, nectar. For the most part, 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...
:
With most lemurids, the mother gives birth to one or two young after a gestation
Gestation
Gestation is the carrying of an embryo or fetus inside a female viviparous animal. Mammals during pregnancy can have one or more gestations at the same time ....
period of between 120 and 140 days, depending on species. Though the ruffed lemur
Ruffed lemur
The ruffed lemurs of the genus Varecia are strepsirrhine primates and the largest extant lemurs within the family Lemuridae. Like all living lemurs, they are found only on the island of Madagascar...
species are the only lemurids that have true litters, consisting of anywhere from 2 to 6 offspring. They are generally sociable animals, living in groups of up to thirty individuals in some species. In some cases, such as the Ring-tailed Lemur, the groups are long-lasting, with distinct dominance hierarchies, while in others, such as the Common Brown Lemur
Common Brown Lemur
The common brown lemur , or brown lemur, is a species of lemur in the Lemuridae family. It is found in Madagascar and Mayotte.-Range:...
, the membership of the groups varies from day to day, and seems to have no clear social structure.
Classification
The family Lemuridae contains 5 extant 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...
, and 22 species.
FAMILY LEMURIDAE
- Genus Lemur
- Ring-tailed LemurRing-tailed LemurThe ring-tailed lemur is a large strepsirrhine primate and the most recognized lemur due to its long, black and white ringed tail. It belongs to Lemuridae, one of five lemur families. It is the only member of the Lemur genus. Like all lemurs it is endemic to the island of Madagascar...
, Lemur catta
- Ring-tailed Lemur
- Genus Eulemur, true lemurs
- Common Brown LemurCommon Brown LemurThe common brown lemur , or brown lemur, is a species of lemur in the Lemuridae family. It is found in Madagascar and Mayotte.-Range:...
, Eulemur fulvus - Sanford's Brown LemurSanford's Brown LemurSanford's brown lemur , or Sanford's lemur, is a species of prosimian primate in the Lemuridae family. The Sanford's brown lemur was previously considered a subspecies of the common brown lemur but as of 2005 many of the brown lemurs have been elevated to a full species status...
, Eulemur sanfordi - White-headed LemurWhite-headed LemurThe white-headed lemur , also known as the white-headed brown lemur, white-fronted brown lemur, or white-fronted lemur, is a species of primate in the Lemuridae family. It is only found in north-eastern Madagascar...
, Eulemur albifrons - Red LemurRed LemurThe red lemur , also known as the rufous brown lemur or northern red-fronted lemur, is a species of lemur from Madagascar. Until 2001, the species E. rufus was considered a subspecies of the common brown lemur, E. fulvus, after which it was classified as its own species...
, Eulemur rufus - Red-fronted LemurRed-fronted LemurThe red-fronted lemur , also known as the red-fronted brown lemur or southern red-fronted brown lemur, is a species of lemur from Madagascar. Until 2001, it was considered a subspecies of the common brown lemur, E. fulvus. In 2001, E...
, Eulemur rufifrons - Collared Brown LemurCollared Brown LemurThe collared brown lemur , also known as the red-collared brown lemur or red-collared lemur, is a medium-sized strepsirrhine primate and one of twelve species of brown lemur in the Lemuridae family. It is only found in south-eastern Madagascar. Like most species of lemur, it is arboreal, moving...
, Eulemur collaris - Gray-headed LemurGray-headed LemurThe gray-headed lemur , or gray-headed brown lemur, is a medium-sized primate, a cathemeral species of lemur in the Lemuridae family. Until a taxonomic revision in 2008, it was known as the white-collared brown lemur or white-collared lemur . It lives in south-eastern Madagascar...
, Eulemur cinereiceps - Black LemurBlack LemurThe Black Lemur is a species of lemur from the family Lemuridae. Like all lemurs, it is endemic to Madagascar. Originally, the species was thought to have two subspecies, Eulemur macaco macaco and Eulemur macaco flavifrons, both of which were elevated to species status by Mittermeier et al. in...
, Eulemur macaco - Sclater's Lemur, Eulemur flavifrons
- Crowned LemurCrowned LemurThe crowned lemur is a lemur that is 31–36 cm long and weighs 2 kg. Its tail is about 42–51 cm long). The crowned lemur is endemic to the dry deciduous forests of the northern tip of Madagascar. It eats a diet of mostly flowers, fruits, and leaves...
, Eulemur coronatus - Red-bellied LemurRed-bellied LemurThe Red-bellied Lemur is a medium sized prosimian with a luxuriant chestnut brown coat. This lemur is endemic to eastern Madagascan rainforests and is distinguished by patches of white skin below the eyes, giving rise to a "teardrop" effect, particularly conspicuous in the male.The species, first...
, Eulemur rubriventer - Mongoose LemurMongoose LemurThe mongoose lemur is a lemur ranging from 12 to 18 inches long plus a tail of 16 to 25 inches. The mongoose lemur lives in dry deciduous forests on the island of Madagascar as well as in the humid forests on the islands of the Comoros...
, Eulemur mongoz
- Common Brown Lemur
- Genus Varecia, ruffed lemurs
- Black-and-white Ruffed LemurBlack-and-white ruffed lemurThe black-and-white ruffed lemur is the more endangered of the two species of ruffed lemurs, both of which are endemic to the island of Madagascar. Despite having a larger range than the red ruffed lemur, it has a much smaller population that is spread out, living in lower population densities...
, Varecia variegata - Red Ruffed LemurRed Ruffed LemurThe red ruffed lemur is one of two species in the genus Varecia, the ruffed lemurs; the other is the black-and-white ruffed lemur . Like all lemurs, it is native to Madagascar and occurs only in the rainforests of Masoala, in the northeast of the island...
, Varecia rubra
- Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur
- Genus Hapalemur, bamboo lemurs
- Eastern Lesser Bamboo Lemur (Gray Gentle Bamboo Lemur), Hapalemur griseus
- Gilbert's Bamboo Lemur, Hapalemur gilberti
- Southern Lesser Bamboo LemurSouthern Lesser Bamboo LemurThe southern lesser bamboo lemur , also known as the southern bamboo lemur, rusty-gray bamboo lemur, and southern gentle lemur, is species of bamboo lemur endemic to southern Madagascar near Tôlanaro. It was originally proposed as a subspecies of the eastern lesser bamboo lemur and is of similar size...
, Hapalemur meridionalis - Western Lesser Bamboo LemurWestern Lesser Bamboo LemurThe Western Lesser Bamboo Lemur , also known as the Northern Bamboo Lemur and Western Gentle Lemur, is species of bamboo lemur endemic to Madagascar. The total length of this primate is 55–67 centimeters, more than half of which is tail, and average weight is just under 1 kilogram...
, Hapalemur occidentalis - Lac Alaotra Gentle Lemur (Bandro)Lac Alaotra Gentle LemurThe Lac Alaotra bamboo lemur , also known as the Lac Alaotra gentle lemur, Alaotran bamboo lemur, Alaotran gentle lemur, or locally as the , is a bamboo lemur. It is endemic to the reed beds in and around Lac Alaotra, in northeast Madagascar. The Alaotran lemur is the only primate specifically...
, Hapalemur alaotrensis - Golden Bamboo LemurGolden Bamboo LemurThe Golden Bamboo Lemur or Golden Lemur is a medium sized bamboo lemur endemic to southeastern Madagascar. It is listed as an endangered species due to habitat loss. The population is declining with only about 1000 individuals...
, Hapalemur aureus
- Genus Prolemur
- Greater Bamboo LemurGreater Bamboo LemurThe Greater Bamboo Lemur , also known as the Broad-nosed Bamboo Lemur and the Broad-nosed Gentle Lemur, is the largest bamboo lemur, at over five pounds or nearly 2.5 kilograms. It has greyish brown fur and white ear tufts, and has a head-body length of around one and a half feet, or forty to...
, Prolemur simus
- Greater Bamboo Lemur
- Genus †PachylemurPachylemurPachylemur is an extinct genus of lemur most closely related to the ruffed lemurs . Its two representative species, Pachylemur insignis and Pachylemur jullyi, are only known from subfossil remains found at sites in central and southwestern Madagascar...
- Pachylemur insignis †
- Pachylemur jullyi †
This family was once broken into two subfamilies, Hapalemurinae (bamboo lemur
Bamboo lemur
The bamboo or gentle lemurs are the lemurs in genus Hapalemur. They are medium sized primates that live exclusively on Madagascar...
s and the Greater Bamboo Lemur
Greater Bamboo Lemur
The Greater Bamboo Lemur , also known as the Broad-nosed Bamboo Lemur and the Broad-nosed Gentle Lemur, is the largest bamboo lemur, at over five pounds or nearly 2.5 kilograms. It has greyish brown fur and white ear tufts, and has a head-body length of around one and a half feet, or forty to...
) and Lemurinae (the rest of the family), but molecular evidence and scent glands similarities have since placed the Ring-tailed Lemur
Ring-tailed Lemur
The ring-tailed lemur is a large strepsirrhine primate and the most recognized lemur due to its long, black and white ringed tail. It belongs to Lemuridae, one of five lemur families. It is the only member of the Lemur genus. Like all lemurs it is endemic to the island of Madagascar...
with the bamboo lemurs and the Greater Bamboo Lemur.
Lemur species in the Eulemur are known to interbreed, despite having dramatically different chromosome
Chromosome
A chromosome is an organized structure of DNA and protein found in cells. It is a single piece of coiled DNA containing many genes, regulatory elements and other nucleotide sequences. Chromosomes also contain DNA-bound proteins, which serve to package the DNA and control its functions.Chromosomes...
numbers. Red-fronted (2N=60) and Collared
Collared Brown Lemur
The collared brown lemur , also known as the red-collared brown lemur or red-collared lemur, is a medium-sized strepsirrhine primate and one of twelve species of brown lemur in the Lemuridae family. It is only found in south-eastern Madagascar. Like most species of lemur, it is arboreal, moving...
(2N=50–52) Brown Lemurs were found to hybridize at Berenty Reserve
Berenty Reserve
Berenty Reserve is a small private reserve of gallery forest along the Mandrake river, set in the semi-arid spiny forest ecoregion of the far south of Madagascar. For more than three decades the primatologist Alison Jolly , researchers and students have visited Berenty to conduct fieldwork on lemurs...
, Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
.