Woolly lemur

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Woolly lemurs (Avahi)
Avahi occidentalis.jpg
Western woolly lemur (A. occidentalis)
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Suborder: Strepsirrhini
Family: Indriidae
Genus: Avahi
Jourdan, 1834 [1]
Type species
Lemur laniger
Gmelin, 1788
Diversity
About 9 species
Avahi range map.svg
Combined distribution of Avahi [2]
Synonyms [1] [3]
  • MicrorhynchusJourdan, 1834
  • SemnocebusLesson, 1840
  • IropocusGloger, 1841
  • HabrocebusWagner, 1839

The woolly lemurs, also known as avahis or woolly indris, are nine species of strepsirrhine primates in the genus Avahi. Like all other lemurs, they live only on the island of Madagascar.

Contents

The woolly lemurs are the smallest indriids with a body size of 30 to 50 cm (12 to 20 in) and a weight of 600 to 1,200 g (21 to 42 oz). Their fur is short and woolly. [4] The body can be grey-brown to reddish, with white on the back of the thighs, [5] with a long, orange tail. The head is round with a short muzzle and ears hidden in the fur.

Woolly lemurs can be found in humid and dry forests, spending most of their time in the leafy copse. Like many leafeaters, they need long naps to digest their food. Woolly lemurs live together in groups of two to five animals, often consisting of parents and several generations of their offspring. [6]

Like all indriids, the woolly lemurs are strictly herbivorous, eating predominantly leaves but also buds and, rarely, flowers.

Males and females live in pairs. Groups consisting of the mating pair and their offspring generally sleep together during the day in tree forks, vine tangles, and dense tree crowns. [7] Although likely, extrapair copulations (which exist in other pair-living nocturnal lemurs, e.g. the Masoala fork-marked lemur (Phaner furcifer) [8] and the fat-tailed dwarf lemur (Cheirogaleus medius) [9] ) have not been demonstrated in Avahi species. The gestation period is four to five months, with births usually in September. In the first few months, the young rides on its mother's back. After about six months, it is weaned and can live independently after a year, although it will typically live in proximity to its mother for another year. Overall life expectancy is not known.

On November 11, 2005, a research team that discovered a new species of woolly lemur in 1990 in western Madagascar named the species Bemaraha woolly lemur (Avahi cleesei), after actor John Cleese, in recognition of Cleese's work to save lemurs in the wild. [10] In 2006, a taxonomic revision of eastern avahis based on genetic and morphological analyses led to the identification of two additional species: A. meridionalis and A. peyrierasi. [11] Further taxonomic revision increased the number of species by adding A. ramanantsoavana and A. betsileo. [12] Finally, a new species was discovered in the Masoala peninsula, Moore's woolly lemur (A. mooreorum). [13]

Classification

Nine species are currently recognized: [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheirogaleidae</span> Family of lemurs

The Cheirogaleidae are the family of strepsirrhine primates containing the various dwarf and mouse lemurs. Like all other lemurs, cheirogaleids live exclusively on the island of Madagascar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indriidae</span> Family of lemurs

The Indriidae are a family of strepsirrhine primates. They are medium- to large-sized lemurs, with only four teeth in the toothcomb instead of the usual six. Indriids, like all lemurs, live exclusively on the island of Madagascar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bemaraha woolly lemur</span> Species of lemur

The Bemaraha woolly lemur, also known as Cleese's woolly lemur, is a species of woolly lemur native to western Madagascar, named after John Cleese. The first scientist to discover the species named it after Cleese, star of Monty Python, mainly because of Cleese's fondness for lemurs, as shown in Operation Lemur With John Cleese and Fierce Creatures, and his efforts at protecting and preserving them. The species was first recorded in 1990 by a team of scientists from Zurich University led by Urs Thalmann, but wasn't formally described as a species until 11 November 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern woolly lemur</span> Species of lemur

The eastern woolly lemur, also known as the eastern avahi or Gmelin's woolly lemur, is a species of woolly lemur native to eastern Madagascar, where it lives in the wet tropical rainforest at low elevations along the eastern coast of the island or they can also inhabit the northern tip of the island with other species. The woolly lemur name refers to their thick, tightly curled hair, whereas their generic name avahi refers to their high-pitched defensive call. The eastern woolly lemur almost has an owl-look with its large eyes, small rounded head, and ears that are mostly hidden. This nocturnal animal weighs 1.0–1.3 kg (2.2–2.9 lb) and reaches a length of 27–29 cm (11–11 in) with a tail of 33–37 cm (13–15 in). Its diet consists mainly of leaves and buds with fruits, flowers, and bark.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mittermeier's mouse lemur</span> Species of lemur

Mittermeier's mouse lemur is a species of mouse lemur known only from Anjanaharibe-Sud Special Reserve in Madagascar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simmons' mouse lemur</span> Species of lemur

Simmons' mouse lemur is a species of mouse lemur known only from Betampona Special Reserve, Analalava Special Community Reserve near Foulpointe, and Zahamena National Park in Madagascar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Masoala fork-marked lemur</span> Species of lemur

The Masoala fork-marked lemur, also known as the eastern fork-marked lemur or Masoala fork-crowned lemur, is a species of lemur found in the coastal forests of northeastern Madagascar. It is a small nocturnal animal with large eyes, greyish fur and a long tail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Small-toothed sportive lemur</span> Species of primate from Madagascar

The small-toothed sportive lemur, or small-toothed weasel lemur, is a primate species in the family Lepilemuridae that—like all extant lemurs—is endemic to Madagascar. The species lives in dense rainforest in southeastern Madagascar, and can be found in Ranomafana and Andringitra National Parks. Described in 1894, it was considered either a subspecies or taxonomic synonym of the weasel sportive lemur throughout most of the 20th century. Phylogenetic studies not only support its species status, but also suggest that it is the only eastern Malagasy sportive lemur that is more closely related to western than to other eastern species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dwarf lemur</span> Genus of lemurs

The dwarf lemurs are the lemurs of the genus Cheirogaleus. All of the species in this genus, like all other lemurs, are native to Madagascar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fork-marked lemur</span> Genus of Madagascan primates

Fork-marked lemurs or fork-crowned lemurs are strepsirrhine primates; the four species comprise the genus Phaner. Like all lemurs, they are native to Madagascar, where they are found only in the west, north, and east sides of the island. They are named for the two black stripes which run up from the eyes, converge on the top of the head, and run down the back as a single black stripe. They were originally placed in the genus Lemur in 1839, later moved between the genera Cheirogaleus and Microcebus, and given their own genus in 1870 by John Edward Gray. Only one species was recognized, until three subspecies described in 1991 were promoted to species status in 2001. New species may yet be identified, particularly in northeast Madagascar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sibree's dwarf lemur</span> Species of lemur

Sibree's dwarf lemur is a small nocturnal lemur endemic to Madagascar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moore's woolly lemur</span> Species of lemur

Moore's woolly lemur, or the Masoala woolly lemur, is a woolly lemur endemic to Madagascar. It has brown-grey fur and a reddish tail. It is named in honor of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation of Palo Alto.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern woolly lemur</span> Species of lemur

The southern woolly lemur, or southern avahi, has been recently recognized as a separate species of woolly lemur in 2006 by Zaramody et al. It is a nocturnal and pair-living species. Groups can range from 2 to 5 individuals. A study in Sainte Luce forest revealed home range varied from 2.2 to 3.5 ha and that males can have larger home range and cover longer daily distances than females, in agreement with the territory defence and mate guarding hypotheses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Betsileo woolly lemur</span> Species of lemur

The Betsileo woolly lemur or Betsileo avahi is a species of woolly lemur native to southeastern Madagascar, in the District of Fandriana. The pelage differs significantly from other southeastern woolly lemurs in that it is primarily light reddish brown on most of the body and grey under the jaw and on the extremities. The pelage is thicker on the head than other eastern woolly lemurs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peyrieras's woolly lemur</span> Species of lemur

Peyrieras's woolly lemur or Peyrieras's avahi is a species of woolly lemur native to southeastern Madagascar. It weighs about 1 kg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ramanantsoavana's woolly lemur</span> Species of lemur

Ramanantsoavana's woolly lemur, also known as Ramanantsoavana's avahi or the Manombo woolly lemur, is a species of woolly lemur native to southeastern Madagascar. It weighs about 1 kg. It was originally considered a subspecies of the southern woolly lemur, A. m. ramanantsoavana, but was elevated to a separate species in 2006 based on molecular, phenotypic and morphological data.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Groves' dwarf lemur</span> Species of lemur

Groves' dwarf lemur is a species of dwarf lemur known from Ranomafana and Andringitra national parks and surrounding areas in southeastern Madagascar. The identification was based on comparison of mitochondrial and nuclear gene sequences with other members of the C. crossleyi group. Individuals from this clade first came under genetic study in 1999 and were recognized as a new species in 2014, but it was not formally described until 2017. The lemur was named after mammalologist Colin Groves. Known from altitudes from 754 to 999 m, it is significantly larger than other members of the C. crossleyi group, with a 20 cm body length, a 29 cm tail, and a weight of 0.41 kg. While the conservation status of the new species has not yet been assessed, its presence in several national parks does not guarantee that it will not be threatened by deforestation ongoing on the island, or possibly by hunting.

References

  1. 1 2 Groves, C. P. (2005). Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 119. ISBN   0-801-88221-4. OCLC   62265494.
  2. "IUCN 2014". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.3. International Union for Conservation of Nature. 2012. Archived from the original on June 27, 2014. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
  3. McKenna, MC; Bell, SK (1997). Classification of Mammals: Above the Species Level. Columbia University Press. p. 336. ISBN   0-231-11013-8.
  4. Tattersall, Ian (1982). Columbia University Press (ed.). The Primates of Madagascar. New York.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  5. Rowe, Noel (1996). The Pictorial Guide to the Living Primates . pp.  47.
  6. Ganzhorn, J.U.; Abraham, J.P. & Razananhoera-Rakotomalala, M. (1985). "Some aspects of the natural history and food selection of Avahi laniger". Primates. 26 (4): 452–463. doi:10.1007/BF02382459. S2CID   8988639.
  7. Rowe, Noel (2016). All the World's Primates. Charleston, Rhode Island: Pogonias Press. p. 88. ISBN   9781940496061.
  8. Schülke, O; Kappeler, PM & Zischler, H (2004). "Small testes size despite high extra-pair paternity in the pair-living nocturnal primate Phaner furcifer". Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 55 (3): 296–310. doi:10.1007/s00265-003-0709-x. S2CID   28992136.
  9. Fietz J, Zischler H, Schwiegk C, Tomiuk J, Dausmann KH, Ganzhorn JU (2000). "High rates of extra-pair young in the pair-living fat-tailed dwarf lemur, Cheirogaleus medius". Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 49: 8–17. doi:10.1007/s002650000269. S2CID   10644300.
  10. Thalmann, U. & T. Geissmann (2005). "New species of woolly lemur Avahi (Primates: Lemuriformes) in Bemaraha (Central Western Madagascar)". American Journal of Primatology. 67 (3): 371–376. doi:10.1002/ajp.20191. PMID   16287101. S2CID   1790777.
  11. Zaramody A.; Fausser J.-L.; Roos C.; Zinner D.; Andriaholinirina N.; Rabarivola C.; Norscia I.; Tattersall I. & Rumpler Y. (2006). "Molecular phylogeny and taxonomic revision of the eastern woolly lemur (Avahi laniger)". Primate Report. 74: 9–22.
  12. Andriantompohavana R.; Lei R.; Zaonarivelo J. R.; Engberg S. E.; Nalanirina G.; McGuire S. M.; Shore G. D.; Andrianasolo J.; Herrington K.; Brenneman R. A. & Louis E. E. Jr (2007). "Molecular phylogeny and taxonomic revision of the woolly lemurs, Genus Avahi (Primates: Lemuriformes)" (PDF). Special Publications of the Museum of Texas Tech University. 51: 1–64.
  13. Lei R.; Engberg S.E.; Andriantompohavana R.; McGuire S.M.; Mittermeier R.A.; Zaonarivelo J.R.; Brenneman R.A. & Louis E.E. Jr (2008). "Nocturnal Lemur Diversity at Masoala National Park" (PDF). Special Publications of the Museum of Texas Tech University. 53: 1–48.
  14. Mittermeier, R. A.; et al. (2008). "Lemur Diversity in Madagascar". International Journal of Primatology. 29 (6): 1607–1656. doi:10.1007/s10764-008-9317-y. hdl: 10161/6237 . S2CID   17614597.