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The dwarf lemurs are the lemurs of the genus ''Cheirogaleus''. All of the species in this genus, like all other lemurs, are native to
Measuring 19–27 cm in body length with a tail about 16–17 cm, they are larger than the mouse lemur 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
Madagascar
Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...
.
Description
Measuring 19–27 cm in body length with a tail about 16–17 cm, they are larger than the mouse lemur 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 hapalemur
The bamboo lemurs or gentle lemurs are the lemurs in genus ''Hapalemur''. These medium-sized primates live exclusively on Madagascar.
Etymology
Bamboo lemurs were first described by French zoologist Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire in 1851. Compar ...
s. Their hind limbs are slightly longer than their forelimbs, but not as elongated as in lepilemur
The sportive lemurs are the medium-sized primates that make up the family Lepilemuridae. The family consists of only one extant genus, ''Lepilemur''. They are closely related to the other lemurs and exclusively live on the island of Madagascar. ...
s or indriids
The Indriidae (sometimes incorrectly spelled Indridae) 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 t ...
. Dwarf lemurs have an intermembral index 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 an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal", versus diurnal meaning the opposite.
Nocturnal creatures generally have highly developed sens ...
and quadrupeds. 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 time ...
) 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
The Montagne d'Ambre dwarf lemur or Andy Sabin's dwarf lemur (''Cheirogaleus andysabini'') is a species of dwarf lemur known only from Amber Mountain National Park and the surrounding area in northern Madagascar. It was identified in 2005, but n ...
, ''Cheirogaleus andysabini''
** Furry-eared dwarf lemur, ''Cheirogaleus crossleyi''
** Groves' dwarf lemur
Groves' dwarf lemur (''Cheirogaleus grovesi'') 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 n ...
, ''Cheirogaleus grovesi''
** Lavasoa dwarf lemur
The Lavasoa dwarf lemur (''Cheirogaleus lavasoensis'') is a small, nocturnal strepsirrhine primate and a species of lemur that is endemic to three small, isolated patches of forest on the southern slopes of the Lavasoa Mountains in southern Madaga ...
, ''Cheirogaleus lavasoensis''
** Greater dwarf lemur
The greater dwarf lemur (''Cheirogaleus major''), 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. They are also found in northern parts of Madagasca ...
, ''Cheirogaleus major''
** Fat-tailed dwarf lemur, ''Cheirogaleus medius''
** Lesser iron-gray dwarf lemur
The lesser iron-gray dwarf lemur (''Cheirogaleus minusculus''), or large iron-gray dwarf lemur, is a small nocturnal lemur endemic to Madagascar. It is nocturnal and an arboreal quadruped, and is not very agile. It produces three types of vocalisa ...
, ''Cheirogaleus minusculus''
** Ankarana dwarf lemur
The Ankarana dwarf lemur or Sheth's dwarf lemur (''Cheirogaleus shethi'') is a species of dwarf lemur, part of the ''C. medius'' group, known only from northern Madagascar. It has been found in two reserves (Ankarana Special Reserve and Analamera ...
, ''Cheirogaleus shethi''
** Sibree's dwarf lemur
Sibree's dwarf lemur (''Cheirogaleus sibreei'') is a small nocturnal lemur endemic to Madagascar.
The name of this dwarf lemur commemorates the English missionary and naturalist James Sibree (1836–1929).
In 2010, a research team confirmed that ...
, ''Cheirogaleus sibreei''
** Thomas' dwarf lemur
The Thomas' dwarf lemur (''Cheirogaleus thomasi'') is a species of dwarf lemur known only from Anosy, Madagascar. It lives in forest
A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout th ...
, ''Cheirogaleus thomasi''
See also
*List of lemur species
Lemurs are Strepsirrhini, strepsirrhine primates, all species of which are Endemism, endemic to Madagascar. They include the smallest primate in the world, Madame Berthe's mouse lemur, which weighs , and range up to the size of the indri, which ...
* List of mammals of Madagascar
This is a list of the native wild mammal species recorded in Madagascar. As of June 2014 (following the IUCN reassessment of the lemurs) there are 241 extant mammal species recognized in Madagascar, of which 22 are critically endangered, 62 are end ...
References
{{Authority control Dwarf lemurs