The dwarf lemurs are the

lemur Lemurs ( ; from Latin ) are Strepsirrhini, wet-nosed primates of the Superfamily (biology), superfamily Lemuroidea ( ), divided into 8 Family (biology), families and consisting of 15 genera and around 100 existing species. They are Endemism, ...

s of the

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

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

Madagascar Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's List of islands by area, f ...

Description

Measuring 19–27 cm in body length with a tail about 16–17 cm, they are larger than the

mouse lemur The mouse lemurs are nocturnal lemurs of the genus ''Microcebus''. Like all lemurs, mouse lemurs are native to Madagascar. Mouse lemurs have a combined head, body and tail length of and weigh , making them the smallest primates (the smallest sp ...

but smaller than the gentle lemur. Their heads are globular compared to the fox-like heads of the lemurs, but their muzzles are more pointed than those of the hapalemurs. Their hind limbs are slightly longer than their forelimbs, but not as elongated as in lepilemurs or indriids. Dwarf lemurs have an

intermembral index The intermembral index is a ratio used to compare limb proportions, expressed as a percentage. It is equal to the length of forelimbs (humerus plus Radius (bone), radius) divided by the length of the hind limbs (femur plus tibia) multiplied by 100, ...

of 71 on average. In contrast to most other primates, their grip is similar to that of South American monkeys with objects picked up and branches grasped between the second and third fingers, rather than between the thumb and index finger. Their nails are somewhat keeled and pointed. Dwarf lemurs roam the lower strata of the foliage in the coastal forests of eastern Madagascar. They are

nocturnal Nocturnality is a ethology, behavior in some non-human animals characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal", versus diurnality, diurnal meaning the opposite. Nocturnal creatur ...

and

quadrupeds Quadrupedalism is a form of locomotion in which animals have four legs that are used to bear weight and move around. An animal or machine that usually maintains a four-legged posture and moves using all four legs is said to be a quadruped (fr ...

. They have a period of inactivity (

torpor Torpor is a state of decreased physiological activity in an animal, usually marked by a reduced body temperature and metabolic rate. Torpor enables animals to survive periods of reduced food availability. The term "torpor" can refer to the ti ...

) during the winter season lasting between four and five months. Their tail serves as an area for fat storage, most of which is consumed during periods of food scarcity. Like most nocturnal prosimians, dwarf lemurs are reported as living solitary or in pairs. They nest in tree holes where they often sleep together in curled up positions. Their territories are marked by fecal and scent markings. Their diet consists primarily of fruits and flowers and they seem to play a part in the pollination of certain plants.

Classification

, 10 species are known. * Genus ''Cheirogaleus'': dwarf lemurs ** Montagne d'Ambre dwarf lemur, ''Cheirogaleus andysabini'' ** Furry-eared dwarf lemur, ''Cheirogaleus crossleyi'' ** Groves' dwarf lemur, ''Cheirogaleus grovesi'' ** Lavasoa dwarf lemur, ''Cheirogaleus lavasoensis'' ** Greater dwarf lemur, ''Cheirogaleus major'' **

Fat-tailed dwarf lemur The fat-tailed dwarf lemur (''Cheirogaleus medius''), also known as the lesser dwarf lemur, western fat-tailed dwarf lemur, or spiny forest dwarf lemur, is endemic to Madagascar. The fat-tailed dwarf lemur is long from its head to the end of i ...

, ''Cheirogaleus medius'' ** Lesser iron-gray dwarf lemur, ''Cheirogaleus minusculus'' ** Ankarana dwarf lemur, ''Cheirogaleus shethi'' ** Sibree's dwarf lemur, ''Cheirogaleus sibreei'' ** Thomas' dwarf lemur, ''Cheirogaleus thomasi''

References

{{Authority control Dwarf lemurs Taxa named by Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire

Description

Classification

See also

References