How much is a lemur. Dwarf mouse Lifestyle features of dwarf lemurs

"The smallest domestic animal" - An animal from the order of rodents. Hedgehogs. adult cats. Popular pets. Pig. Ferrets. Squirrels. Rats. Smart pets. Chinchillas. Dwarf rabbits. Decorative mice. Mini pigs. Decorative (dwarf) rabbits can also be safely attributed to small pets. Domestic chinchillas. Funny creatures. Ferrets. Pets. African pygmy hedgehogs. Gerbils. Degu.

"Smart Animals" - Dogs are highly trainable. Dolphins. Elephants. Cockatoo. Crows. Rats. Sheep. Ants. Dogs. The most intelligent among insects, of course, are ants. cichlids. Sheep have a good memory. One of the most smart birds- crows. The smartest animals. Monkey. Chimpanzee. Smart animals. One of the smartest animals is rats. Mind of animals. Cockatoo parrots. Elephants build strong family ties.

"Animals PMR" - Sometimes runs along the back black line. Squirrels (lat. Sciurus) - a genus of rodents of the squirrel family. Cats. Squirrels. Body length varies from 5 to 34 cm, tail from 0.7 to 10 cm. The squirrel is a source of valuable fur. Hares. Animals PMR. There are developed cheek pouches. Previously, the domestic cat was often considered as a separate biological species. Females in some species are larger than males. From a zoological point of view, a domestic cat is a mammal of the cat family of the carnivore order.

"Animals of the past" - Tyrannosaurus. The most toothy dinosaur. When dinosaur bones were first discovered. Dinichthys is an armored fish. The development of life on Earth began about 3.5 billion years ago. The smallest dinosaurs. Bighorn deer. The most-most among dinosaurs. Over time, various fish appeared in the seas, including predators. Stegosaurus. Changes in flora. The smartest dinosaur ever. These animals are descended from ancient reptiles.

"Dangerous Animals" - Thousands of people. One of the most dangerous creatures on the planet. Cases of attack. The degree of danger. Animals. Malarial mosquitoes. The most dangerous animals for humans. Mosquitoes. Wild animals. White shark. Elephants. Crocodiles. Sharks. The Bears. Statement. Lions and tigers. Savannah dwellers. banteng. snakes. Bees can be very dangerous. bees. Scorpions. wild bulls. Rats. Piranhas. poisonous spiders. Impression. Behemoths.

"Extinct animals" - Extinct animals. Passenger pigeon. Quagga. Crested thick-billed pigeon. Reasons for extinction. Carolina parrot. Falkland fox. The marsupial wolf. Dwarf grebe. Steller cow. Pig-footed bandicoot.

This wonderful creature lives in Madagascar. Settles in dry forests of mixed and deciduous type.

Appearance

The body length is 10cm, the tail length is 10cm, and the weight is about 300 grams. The head is rounded, the muzzle is shortened. The ears are large, mobile, instantly pick up the slightest rustle. Large eyes appear even larger thanks to the dark circles outlined around the eyes, and, of course, they see everything well. The limbs are short, with well-developed thin fingers, ending in sharp claws. The tail is plump, equal to the length of the body. The fur of the pygmy mouse lemur is thick, soft and silky to the touch. The top is colored brown-red, the bottom is usually yellow-white or white-gray.

Lifestyle. Food

It leads a very secretive lifestyle: during the day it rests or sleeps, and at night it goes out in search of food. It feeds on a variety of fruits and vegetables, nectar and leaves. It can bite on various insects and spiders, or it can catch a small frog or lizard, but this is extremely rare. The dwelling equips most often in the hollow of a tree, or builds a nest from twigs and grass. They live alone or in pairs. In the dry season, it hibernates, which can last up to 7 months. But before that, in the rainy season, he actively eats off, accumulating fat and solidly getting fat. They communicate with each other with sounds, calmly carry each other and almost do not quarrel. They move slowly and slowly.

reproduction

The female's pregnancy lasts 70 days. Offspring are brought once a year. Blind helpless cubs are born into the world. There are 2-3 lemurs in a litter. The weight of one baby is about 20 grams. The eyes open on the second day of life. Mothers feed on milk for a little more than a month. They are so small and weak that the parent is forced to carry them in her mouth if necessary, or in danger, because. Babies can't hold on to their mother's fur on their own. True, they quickly become independent, already at the age of 2 - 2.5 months they can be independent.

B, according to inaccurate data, dwarf mouse lemur lives 5 - 8 years.

The family of dwarf lemurs includes 5 species of small arboreal nocturnal animals leading an extremely secretive lifestyle. In appearance, lifestyle, diet, consisting mainly of insects, these endemics of Madagascar are similar to African galagos and sometimes approach them.

Dwarf lemurs have better developed eyes than ears. Their body is compressed, the head is short, the muzzle is rounded, the tail is slightly longer than the body, the limbs are generally evenly developed, since the hind legs are not significantly longer than the front ones. Others external differences These small animals are large eyes, medium-sized ears, naked inside and covered outside with very thin and sparse hair; unusually graceful limbs with short fingers, as well as delicate, soft, silky and somewhat wavy fur.

They are found alone and in pairs, but in captivity they can be kept in large groups. They sleep curled up in tree hollows or in nests made of grass, small twigs and leaves. They are in the same state during the period of hibernation, which they fall into during the dry season. In a favorable (rainy) period, they accumulate fat in different places bodies, especially at the base of the tail, and in a state of prolonged torpor, they use up these reserves of fat.

In captivity, they behave quite aggressively, but they are also found with a more accommodating character.

Place in the classification:

Superclass Quadrupeds - Tetrapoda
Class Mammals - Mammalia
Detachment Primates - Primates
Suborder Wet-nosed monkeys - Strepsirhini
infraorder Lemur-like - Lemuriformes
Family Dwarf lemurs (Cheirogaleidae)

Classification of dwarf lemurs:

Family: Cheirogaleidae Gray, 1872 = Dwarf lemurs
Genus: Allocebus Petter-Rousseaux et Petter, 1967 = Hairy-eared lemurs
Species: Allocebus trichotis Gunther, 1875 = Hairy-eared lemur
Genus: Cheirogaleus Geoffroy E., 1812 = Rat poppies, pygmy lemurs, chirogale
Species: Cheirogaleus adipicaudatus Grandidier, 1868 = Southern dwarf lemur
Species: Cheirogaleus crossleyi A. Grandidier, 1870 = Shaggy dwarf lemur
Species: Cheirogaleus major Geoffroy E., 1812 = Rat poppies
Species: Cheirogaleus medius Geoffroy E., 1812 = Fat-tailed lemur
Species: Cheirogaleus minusculus Groves, 2000 = Small gray dwarf lemur
Species: Cheirogaleus ravus Groves, 2000 = Large gray pygmy lemur
Species: Cheirogaleus sibreei Forsyth Major, 1894 = Sibri's pygmy lemur
Genus: Microcebus Geoffroy E., 1834 = Mouse [dwarf] lemurs, dwarf poppies
Species: Microcebus berthae Rasoloarison et al., 2000 = Bert's mouse lemur
Species: Microcebus bongolavensis, 2006 = Bongolava mouse lemur
Species: Microcebus danfossorum, 2006 = Danfoss's mouse lemur
Species: Microcebus griseorufus Kollman, 1910 = Gray-brown mouse lemur
Species: Microcebus jollyae, 2006 = Jolly's mouse lemur
Species: Microcebus lehilahytsara Roos & Kappeler, 2005 = Goodman's mouse lemur
Species: Microcebus mamiratra, 2006 = Claire's mouse lemur
Species: Microcebus mittermeieri, 2006 = Mittermier's mouse lemur
Species: Microcebus murinus Miller J., 1777 = Mouse [Miller's] lemur
Species: Microcebus myoxinus Peters, 1852 = Peters' pygmy mouse lemur
Species: Microcebus ravelobensis, 1998 = Golden mouse lemur
Species: Microcebus rufus Geoffroy E., 1834 = Red lemur
Species: Microcebus sambiranensis, 2000 = Sambiranan mouse lemur
Species: Microcebus simmonsi, 2006 = Simmons' mouse lemur
Species: Microcebus tavaratra, 2000 = Northern red mouse lemur
Genus: Phaner Gray, 1870 = Forked lemurs, plywood
Species: Phaner electromontis Groves & Tattersall, 1991 = Amba Plywood
Species: Phaner furcifer Blainville, 1841 = Forked lemur
Species: Phaner pallescens Groves & Tattersall, 1991 = Pale plywood
View: Phaner parienti Groves & Tattersall, 1991 = Phaner parienti
Genus: Mirza
Species: Mirza coquereli = Dwarf lemur Coquerel
Species: Mirza zaza =

Genus Hairy-eared lemurs: (Allocebus, Petter-Rousseaux et Petter, 1967)

hairy-eared lemur(Lat. Allocebus trichotis, eng. Hairy-eared dwarf lemur, Gunther, 1875)

The hairy-eared lemur is one of the smallest primates, up to 30 cm long and weighing 80-100 g.

Lemurs were described as early as 1875, but then they did not meet for 90 years and were already considered extinct. In 1966, they were again discovered in the rainforests of Madagascar.

Hairy-eared lemurs are nocturnal. They nest in hollows in groups of two to six individuals, the nest is usually lined with straw. From May to September, they may hibernate in tree cavities. It is not known for certain what they eat, but the structure of the claws and teeth may indicate that the basis of their diet is plant resins, and long tongue can help drink nectar. The breeding season of allocebus is also not known for certain, but juveniles two times smaller than adults found in March indicate that the estrus period occurs at the beginning rainy season in November and December, and cubs are born in January-February, as in closely related genera of mouse and pygmy lemurs.

Habitat - lowlands moist forests eastern Madagascar in the region of the Mananara river; since 1989, subpopulations have also been found in a number of national parks and reserves in other areas of eastern Madagascar.

Genus Rat poppies, pygmy lemurs, chirogale(Cheirogaleus, Geoffroy E., 1812)

Southern pygmy lemur(Latin Cheirogaleus adipicaudatus, English Fat-tailed dwarf lemur or lesser dwarf lemur, western fat-tailed dwarf lemur, or spiny forest dwarf lemur, Grandidier, 1868)

The southern dwarf lemur is found only in Madagascar along almost the entire west coast. Lives in the forest, leads a nocturnal lifestyle. The color of the coat on the back is dark, on the abdomen - light gray. There is a strip along the entire back. The muzzle is given expressiveness by a white stripe, eyes in a black stroke. Feet and hands are white.

southern lemur

Recent studies have shown that this species of lemur hibernates, despite the fact that in the rainforests of Madagascar, winter temperatures remain quite high. This is the first tropical hibernating mammal ever discovered. Winters in Madagascar are dry, and the lemur seems to avoid drought in this way. Unlike animals that winter in regions with temperate climate, the lemur does not control its body temperature during hibernation, and if the hollow in which it sleeps is not well insulated, the body temperature fluctuates according to the outside temperature.

Like other species of lemurs, it is able to accumulate fat in the tail, and this serves as a source of energy during its rest period.

Lemur hairy pygmy(Latin Cheirogaleus crossleyi, English Furry-eared dwarf lemur, A. Grandidier, 1870)

The hairy dwarf lemur is found only in Madagascar (Imerima, Lake Alaotra, Perinet, Malevo, Antsianaka and Vogima. Lives in the forest, leads a nocturnal lifestyle.

The color of the coat on the back is red-brown, on the abdomen - light gray. There are black spots around the eyes, the ears are painted black outside and inside.

Moves on four limbs, jumps not very well.

Rat maki(lat. Cheirogaleus major, eng. Greater dwarf lemur, Geoffroy E., 1812)

Rat maquis live in the eastern and northern parts of Madagascar (less common in the west-central region of the island).

The tail of rat maquis is long and fluffy, very thick at the base. The hairline is thick and dense. The muzzle is elongated with well-developed vibrissae. The eyes are large, closely spaced. The ears are medium in size, thin-skinned, covered with sparse down.

The limbs are grasping, the thumbs are opposed to the rest. Nails grow on all fingers, and on the second toe there is a claw, which serves for grooming and combing wool.

Coloration varies from gray to reddish brown on the head, back and tail. Chest, belly and inner part thighs - white with a yellow tint. Black circles around the eyes. Pale stripe between eyes.

Because of their nocturnal lifestyle, mouse lemurs are fairly quiet animals. Soft calls are issued to inform other members of the group about their location. The whistle is pronounced at high frequencies, inaudible to humans, and is used in territorial conflicts, as well as for contact with neighbors. When a lemur is worried, it can make loud trills, and when something threatens it, it makes sounds similar to grunting.

Rat poppies are omnivorous, eating fruits and fruits, flowers and nectar, less often insects and small vertebrates. Perhaps, sometimes they regale themselves with honey. When poppies eat the nectar of flowers, they stretch the petals of the flower with their hands and then slowly lick the nectar. One flower takes from two to seven minutes.

They are nocturnal and arboreal. During the day, they sleep curled up in hollows of trees covered with dry leaves or in nests made of grass, small twigs and leaves. In the dry season they fall into a stupor. During the rainy season they accumulate fat in different parts of the body, especially at the base of the tail, and in a state of prolonged stupor they use up these reserves of fat. Pretty slow animals moving on four limbs.

fat tailed lemur(Latin Cheirogaleus medius, English Fat-tailed dwarf lemur, Geoffroy E., 1812)

Lives in Western and southern parts Madagascar.

The eyes are large and shiny. The tail is long, not grasping. The fur is thick, dense and soft to the touch. The head is spherical. The auricles are relatively large, thin-skinned, naked. The terminal phalanges of the fingers are widened. Colour: Body reddish brown, pale brown or grey, underparts white with a yellowish tint. There is a dark ring around the eyes. There is a white stripe between the eyes.

Lesser gray pygmy lemur(Latin Cheirogaleus minusculus, English Lesser Iron-gray Dwarf Lemur, Groves, 2000)

The small gray dwarf lemur is found only in Madagascar in the town of Ambositra.

Lives in the forest, leads a nocturnal lifestyle.

The color of the coat is gray with a brown tint, a blurry stripe runs along the back. The tip of the tail is painted white.

Moves on four limbs, jumps not very well.

Lemur large gray pygmy(lat. Cheirogaleus ravus, eng. Large Iron-gray Dwarf Lemur, Groves, 2000)

The large gray dwarf lemur is found only in Madagascar in the areas of Tamatave, Tampira, Mahambo, Ancaya, Ambodivoangi and Fesy Malendo.

Lives in the forest, leads a nocturnal lifestyle. The color of the coat is gray with a brown tint, a blurry stripe runs along the back. The tip of the tail, feet and hands are painted white.

The ears are darker and may or may not be hairy.

Moves on four limbs, jumps not very well.

Sibri's pygmy lemur(Latin Cheirogaleus sibreei, English Sibree's dwarf lemur, Forsyth Major, 1894)

This species of lemur was thought to be extinct until it was rediscovered in 2010 in central Madagascar.

Genus Mouse [dwarf] lemurs, dwarf poppies(Lat. Microcebus Geoffroy E., 1834)

Bertha's mouse lemur(Latin Microcebus berthae, English Madame Berthe's mouse lemur, Rasoloarison et al., 2000)

The smallest known to science a primate found only on the island of Madagascar. The specific epithet is given in honor of the Malagasy anthropologist Berta Rakotosamimanan.

The body length is only 9-9.5 cm, and the lemur weighs 24-38 grams. The lemur has a long tail 13-14 cm long. The fur is short and thick. The coloration of the upper body is reddish brown with a dark stripe along the back from the shoulders to the tail, while the fur on the belly is cream or pale gray. The head is round, orange in color, lighter than the rest of the body. The muzzle is short, there is a white spot above the nose, the eye ring is cinnamon, big ears and bare fingers. It has very large, forward-facing eyes that have a shiny layer behind the retina that reflects light, thereby greatly improving night vision.

Was found in the western part of the island in national park Kirindi. The area of ​​\u200b\u200bno more than 900 km². The habitat of the species is dry deciduous forest.

The species is active at night, preferring to stay in trees. During the daytime, lemurs sleep in nests of leaves arranged on vines and other climbing plants. They lead a solitary life.

An omnivore that eats fruit and other fruits along with insects. plant material. To conserve energy, it falls into a torpor every day for a short time.

(lat. Microcebus bongolavensis, eng. Bongolava Mouse Lemur, 2006)

Mouse lemur Bongolava - found in the western part of Madagascar in deciduous forests Bongolava and Ambodimahabibo between the rivers Sofia and Mahajamba.

This is a relatively large mouse lemur, with a total length of 26 to 29 cm, including a tail of 15 to 17 centimeters.

(lat. Microcebus danfossorum, eng. Danfoss "Mouse Lemur, 2006)

It was found in the northwestern part of Madgascar between the Sophia and Maevarano rivers.

The length of the body is 25-29 cm, the length of the tail is 15-17 cm.

Gray-brown mouse lemur(lat. Microcebus griseorufus, eng. Reddish-gray mouse lemur, Kollman, 1910)

It lives in the forests of the southwestern part of Madagascar at an altitude of about 250 m above sea level.

The reddish-gray mouse lemur, also known as the gray-brown mouse lemur or the gray-brown mouse lemur, was found in the western part of Madagascar in the Beza Mahafaly reserve area north of Lamboharana.

Jolly mouse lemur(Latin Microcebus jollyae, English Jolly's mouse lemur, 2006)

Found in 2006 in the Mananjary and Kianjavato regions of southeastern Madagascar.

Named after biologist Alison Jolly.

(lat. Microcebus lehilahytsara, eng. Roos & Kappeler, 2005)

Found near the city in Andasib in a very small habitat. The species is named after biologist Stephen Goodman.

"Lehilahytsara" is a combination of the Malagasy words for "good" and "man".

It is believed that Goodman's mouse lemur separated itself from other lemurs about 2 million years ago.

(Latin Microcebus mamiratra, English Claire's mouse lemur or Nosy Be mouse lemur, 2006)

Mouse lemur Claire lives on the island of Nosy Be, and on the mainland near the village of Manehoka, including in the Lokobe nature reserve.

The scientific name mamiratra means "clear and bright". A small animal weighing 60 grams. The fur on the upper part is reddish-brown, darkening in the middle of the back. The total length is from 26 to 28 centimeters, including the tail - from 15 to 17 centimeters.

Mittermier's mouse lemur(Latin Microcebus mittermeieri, English Mittermeier's mouse lemur, 2006)

It was discovered in 2006 in the Anjanaharibe nature reserve in the northeast of Madagascar.

The Mittermeier mouse lemur is the smallest on the east coast. Its body is light brown with orange tint. The belly is whitish-brown, and there is a distinctive white patch on the muzzle at eye level. The tip of the tail is black.

Mouse [Millerian] lemur(lat. Microcebus murinus, eng. Gray mouse lemur Miller J., 1777)

The body of a mouse microcebus is about 13 cm in size, the tail is 17 cm. Body weight is 40-60 g, the weight of females is slightly larger. It is so small that only a monkey muzzle with huge eyes sticks out of the hands of a man who clasped his hands with his fingers. The fur of these species is thick, fluffy, brown in the Muller lemur, and gray in the second species. There is a light stripe on the nose, a dark stripe along the spine. They live in groups with a strict hierarchy.

They move by jumping with the help of four limbs, while the microcebus has a unique ability to keep the body in a horizontal position, holding on to a branch only with its hind limbs. The animals are active at night, during the movement they periodically make shrill sounds. They feed on plant and animal food, the ratio of which in their diet varies depending on the season. From February to March, mainly fruits, berries, leaves and flowers are eaten. In the dry period, animal food is mainly preferred: tree frogs, small chameleons, beetles and other insects, as well as bird eggs.

They build nests in trees from leaf balls. The breeding season is from August to February. During this time, two broods appear. The pregnancy of Miller's lemur lasts 59-62 days. In each brood there are two cubs (each weighing 3-5 g). The female carries the cub by mouth, as he never clings to her fur, as happens with other primates. At the age of 7-10 months, young animals reach puberty.

In the cell, both types of microcebus retain their seasonal feeding rhythm. In addition, they love honey, bread, rice and millet milk porridge, condensed milk, etc. In captivity, they live up to 14 years.

Peters' pygmy mouse lemur(Latin Microcebus myoxinus, English Pygmy mouse lemur, Peters, 1852)

It lives in arid deciduous and mixed forests in the west of Madagascar, in natural park Kirindi, where it was discovered. It is believed that the habitat is wider, but there is no confirmation of this.

This is one of the smallest primates. Weight is about 43-55 g, body length is about 20 cm, 10 of them are on the tail.

Golden mouse lemur(lat. Microcebus ravelobensis, eng. Golden-brown mouse lemur or Ravelobe Mouse Lemur, 1998)

The golden mouse lemur lives in the northwestern part of Madagascar in the Ampijoroa Nature Reserve. It occurs in the upper tier of arid forests.

The length of the head and body is 12.5 cm, the tail is longer, more woolly and thinner than that of other mouse lemurs, because it does not store fat in the tail. Weight 40-70 g. The coat is short and thick. The color of the coat is golden brown on the back and yellowish white on the belly. A white stripe runs from the forehead to the tip of the muzzle. The ears are yellowish brown, large and hairless.

Males and females are colored the same. Females are ready for mating at the end of August, during this period they are active and aggressive.

The golden mouse lemur is a territorial animal. Shows aggressiveness when defending their possessions. Moves by jumping. Builds nests from branches and fallen leaves.

(Latin Microcebus rufus, English Brown mouse lemur, Geoffroy E., 1834)

Brown mouse lemurs are common in areas rainforest in northern and eastern Madagascar. The natural habitats of this species are primary and secondary forests, including coastal rainforest forest belts and secondary bamboo forests.

The upper body of lemurs is reddish-brown to light brown in color, while the lower body is white to cream. The wool is soft. There is a white or cream stripe between the eyes and below the nose. Cheeks brown-red. Ears are medium in size. Body length 12.5 cm. Tail length - 11.5 cm. Body weight about 50 g, although in February and March it is slightly larger.

Lemurs perform pre-mating ritual courtship, which consists of using a soft, ringing squeak and tail whipping to attract a female to mate.

They feed primarily on the fruits of plants, although sometimes they can eat insects, young leaves, flowers, tree resin, nectar and pollen from flowers. The diet changes seasonally, with increased fruit consumption between December and March.

Sambiran mouse lemur(Latin Microcebus sambiranensis, English Sambirano mouse lemur 2000)

The sambiran mouse lemur is found only in northwestern Madagascar in the Ankarana nature reserve.

It lives in trees and is nocturnal.

The coat is long, the color is reddish-brown, the chest, sides and abdomen are light gray. The tail is amber in color, the inside is ocher yellow. The top of the head and ears are colored amber, between the eyes there is a red-brown spot. Hands and feet are reddish with a touch of beige-white. Antennae-vibrissae are dark.

(Latin Microcebus simmonsi, English Simmons "mouse lemur 2006)

Simmons' mouse lemur is the largest mouse lemur on the East Coast.

It lives in the reserves of Betampona and Zahamena.

The fur is dark reddish-orange with a black hair tip at the top of the head and sometimes a stripe down the middle of the back.

Northern red mouse lemur(lat. Microcebus tavaratra, eng. Northern rufous mouse lemur, 2000)

The northern red mouse lemur is found only in northwestern Madagascar in the Ankarana nature reserve.

It lives in trees and is nocturnal. The coat is long, has three shades in color - dark brown, medium brown and yellow ocher (the color of the back) and beige-white (the color of the chest, sides and abdomen. A dark brown stripe runs along the back. The top of the head and ears are red, the area greyish white between eyes, dark brown patch around eyes, dark to medium brown tail, greyish white hands and feet, dark vibrissae.

Genus Forked lemurs, plywood(lat. Phaner)

Genus Lemurs forked - Phaner includes up to 4 species; however, possibly monotypic. Homeland - coastal forest areas of Northern and Western Madagascar.

Plywood live in the tropical rainforests of Madagascar, are nocturnal, feed on insects, fruits, and honey. Food is brought to the mouth with the front paws. They find shelter in the hollows of trees, rest and sleep in a sitting position, with their heads lowered between their forelimbs, like lemurs.

They are larger than other members of the mouse lemur subfamily. The body length of these lemurs is 23-28 cm, the fluffy tail is 29-36 cm long and weighs from 300 to 500 grams. The tail is fluffy and longer than the head and body. The limbs are quite long, which is necessary in order to reach a place in a tree with an immobile trunk, where lemurs feed on the juice secreted from the trunk. The head is rounded, the muzzle is blunt, large dark eyes look forward. The coat is brownish-gray, the tail is very dark, from it a dark, almost black stripe runs along the ridge, which bifurcates at the crown, and each of the branches goes forward and further around the eyes.

Plywood Amba(lat. Phaner electromontis, eng. Amber Mountain Fork-crowned Lemur, Groves & Tattersall, 1991)

Inhabits the Montagne d'Ambre region, which is located in the northern part of Madagascar. It lives at an altitude of 50-1500 m above sea level.

Forked-striped lemur(Latin Phaner furcifer, English Masoala Fork-crowned Lemur, Blainville 1841)

Lives in the tropical rainforests of the northern and western coasts of Madagascar.

Body length is 25-27 cm, tail length is 30-38 cm. The color reaches its greatest brightness on the head and on the neck. On the head from the eyes to the back of the head there are two black stripes, which are connected together in the back of the head and then a single black stripe stretches back along the middle of the neck and along the entire back. The throat and belly are pale rufous or yellowish. The hands and feet are brown, and the tail is covered with long thick hair dark reddish-brown with a black or white tip.

Leads a nocturnal lifestyle, feeds on insects, fruits, honey. It nests in hollows of trees, rests and sleeps in a sitting position, with its head lowered between the forelimbs. They usually keep 2-3 individuals together. Very mobile, able to make long jumps. Does not hibernate. There are 2-3 cubs in a litter.

Plywood pale(Latin Phaner pallescens, English Pale fork-marked lemur, Groves & Tattersall, 1991)

Parient Plywood(lat. Phaner parienti, eng. Pariente "s fork-marked lemur, Groves & Tattersall, 1991)

Distributed in the Sambirano region in the northwest of Madagascar. This lemur has light brown fur. A light stripe runs from the tip of the tail to the head.

Lives in lowlands and middle heights of humid forests. Leads a nocturnal lifestyle. It is an omnivore that feeds on tree resin, sap, buds, insects and larvae. Sleeps in nests that have been abandoned by other lemurs. Little studied.

Genus Mirza

Lemurs are small. Distributed in deciduous forests of the western part of Madagascar; are usually found near the shores of the ocean or other bodies of water. The fur is olive brown above and yellowish gray below.

The genus originally included a single species, Mirza coquereli (named after the French entomologist Charles Coquerel), when it was separated from the genus Microcebus in 1985. In 2005, a second species, Mirza zaza, was described. In 2010 it was announced that another taxon with reddish fur on the back and tail was discovered in the vicinity of Berevo-Ranobe.

Dwarf lemur Cockerela(Latin Mirza coquereli, English Coquerel's giant mouse lemur, 2005)

The Kokrela mouse dwarf lemur or the dwarf nut lemur is found in arid forests from Ankazoabo in the north to Antsalov and further north in the Sambirano region. This is a squirrel-sized animal. The length of the body with the head is 20 cm, the tail is 33 cm. Weight is 300 g. The coat is brownish-gray with light abdominal and chest regions. The tail is thin and woolly, the hair on it is long, which makes the tail look shaggy. The ears are big.

Walnut lemur feeds alone at night, during the day it settles down to rest in a tree hollow in a group of 5 individuals. Has holdings up to 4 hectares. It feeds on fruits, flowers, gums, insects and their secretions, spiders, frogs, chameleons and small small birds.

Sexual maturity occurs at the age of 2 years. The mating season is timed to October, pregnancy lasts 3 months, cubs (1-4) are born in January. The female brings offspring annually. The female takes care of the cubs and carries them in her teeth. A month later, the cubs already leave the nest. They begin to feed on their own, but with cries they let their mother know about themselves, maintaining close contact with her.

Lemurs are territorial animals, and they are tolerant of violations of the boundaries of large possessions and are aggressive when defending a recreation area. Several animals sleep in the same hollow or build nests close to each other. Life expectancy is 15-20 years.

(Latin Mirza zaza, English Northern giant mouse lemur, 2005)

The northern giant mouse lemur - Mirza zaza - was discovered in 2005 by Kappeler of the German Center for Primatology and the University of Gottingham. Until then, the population of Hmgant mouse lemurs was considered to belong to one species.

The northern giant mouse lemur is a small animal, endemic to Madagascar, leading a nocturnal lifestyle.

Weight 300 g, tail long, bushy, ears small. The name "zaza" means children in Malagasy. The northern species of giant mouse lemurs is inferior in size to Mirza coquereli.

Pygmy mouse lemur (Microcebus myoxinus)

Class - mammals
Order - primates

Family - dwarf lemurs

Genus - mouse lemurs

Appearance

The smallest of the mouse lemurs and one of the smallest primates (the main competitor for this title is the pygmy marmoset). Weight about 300 grams, body length about 20 centimeters, 10 of which are tail. It has a red-brown color on the back and a creamy-white belly.

The muzzle is short, the ears are almost bare, webbed type. The coat color is brownish-red or gray (some with white markings), dark rings around the eyes, emphasizing big size eye. In mouse lemurs, the navicular and calcaneal bones are elongated, like in African galagos. They also move in the same way, by jumping.

Habitat

It lives in arid deciduous and mixed forests in the west of Madagascar, in the Kirindi Natural Park, where it was discovered. It is believed that the range is wider, but there is no confirmation of this.

Lifestyle in nature

The basis of nutrition: spiders, insects, fruits, nectar, leaves, less often - small frogs and lizards.

There are actually mouse lemurs alone and in pairs, but in captivity they can be kept in large groups. They sleep curled up in tree hollows or in nests made of grass, small twigs and leaves. They are in the same state during the period of hibernation, which they fall into during the dry season. In a favorable (rainy) period, they accumulate fat in different parts of the body, especially at the base of the tail, and in a state of prolonged stupor they use up these fat reserves.

reproduction

The pregnancy of mouse lemurs proper lasts about 60-70 days, the female gives birth to 2-3 blind cubs weighing 3-5 g, the eyes open already on the 2nd day of life.

At 15 days they begin to climb. They become completely independent after 60 days, and reach sexual maturity at 7-10 months. They breed relatively easily in captivity.

For keeping a dwarf lemur at home, any one is suitable, in which there must be tree branches. It is better to make the back of the cage deaf. So lemurs feel safe. The bedding in the rest box should be made of natural cotton wool or dried hay. The place where the cage with your pet will be located should be away from drafts, because lemurs are prone to colds. Otherwise, these animals easily tolerate the climate. middle lane. It is also very important to keep the cage clean: a domestic lemur will not do this himself and will smell bad. First of all, light cleaning should be done every day, and once a month, wipe the floor with a damp cloth and sprinkle with a fresh layer of sawdust.

A shelter should be installed in the cage where the lemurs can hide from prying eyes and daylight. It is best to use a fur nest envelope, which is convenient to hang in a cage.

Dwarf lemurs are fed most often late in the evening, although it is possible to teach them to eat during the day, but it is better, if the animal does not want to, do not force it. It is most convenient in a deep metal bowl (as for parrots), which is hung on the bars of the cage. Most often, their wake time comes around eight o'clock in the evening, around this time they are served food. Some species of lemurs eat animal food, in this case they have to be fed with boiled meat, various insects, which some catch themselves while walking around the apartment. Also baby food. The main thing is not to overfeed! If you give a lot of bananas, grapes, zofobas, carrots, lettuce, nuts, then the sweetest (bananas and zofobasy) will be eaten. The rest of the necessary things will not be touched. Therefore, you can arrange fasting days and give, for example, only carrots, one almond, and other vegetables. An example of feeding: two zofobas, half a large cockroach (or only one cockroach), one nut, a few pieces of an apple, just a little bit of a banana, a couple of pieces of dates or figs. If there are more insects, then less than the rest. In general, it is better to undereat a couple of times a week.

Give lemurs commercial primate food with a mixture of fresh (mango, apples) and dry fruits, nuts (almonds, hazelnuts), bread, boiled rice, insects (meal beetle, zofobas, cockroaches, crickets, grasshoppers), vitamin supplements. Occasionally they are given dairy-free baby porridge (placed with water and honey can be added).

There should always be fresh water. The drinker can be ball. So that animals do not feel bored and do not lose their appetite, it is very important to provide them with a varied diet.

In captivity, lemurs are calm, they never break anything. This is probably the only species of primate that can be allowed to go outside the cage without much control. They easily become attached to the owner and miss him greatly in his absence.

In the Lemuridae family, there are both common, widespread, and very rare species. Some are widely known to scientists and the general public, others are poorly understood. This article will focus on the smallest member of the family - mouse and dwarf lemurs, which are difficult to study due to shyness and a secretive lifestyle.

Mouse and pygmy lemurs are the smallest primates in Madagascar. They live throughout the island, including rainforests in the east, dry deciduous forests in the west, and spiny forests in the south.

Habitats of various species of pygmy and mouse lemurs

The family of dwarf lemurs (Cheirogaleidae) is represented by the following species.

mouse lemurs

Most small mouse lemurs of the family Cheirogaleidae belong to the genus (Microcebus). Scientists are constantly reviewing the taxonomic status of these species.

The gray mouse lemur is found in deciduous forests in the northwest and south of Madagascar.

The brown mouse lemur lives in the thickets along the edges, in clearings in the eastern part of Madagascar.

The pygmy mouse lemur can be found in the central part of the island.

The golden brown mouse lemur inhabits the northwest of Madagascar.

There are 5 species of dwarf lemurs belonging to four genera.

The pygmy lemur Kokerela has taken a fancy to the coastal forests in the west and northwest of the island.

Hairy-eared lemur in a small area in the primary rainforests of the northeast of Madagascar.

The rat lemur is an inhabitant of primary and mature secondary forests in the eastern part of the island.

The fat-tailed lemur is found in primary and mature secondary forests in the northwest, west and south of Madagascar.

The forked lemur lives in the mature coastal forests of the west, northwest and east of the island.

The body length of the animals of this family is from 9-11 (dwarf mouse lemur) to 23-30 cm (forked-striped lemur). They weigh respectively from 25-38 g to 350-500 g. They have an elongated body and short limbs. The head is small, with protruding eyes, the ears are relatively large, slightly pubescent. The tail is long, it can accumulate fat reserves. The coat is short and dense, mostly grey-brown on the back and white to cream on the underside of the body.

Features of the lifestyle of dwarf lemurs

All species live on trees, bushes and vines. Some may descend to the ground to catch small animals.

Both pygmy and mouse lemurs are only active at night. They run and jump on four limbs. Like many other nocturnal mammals, these animals have a "mirror" in the eye behind the retina - a layer of light-reflecting crystals.

During the daytime, mouse and pygmy lemurs rest in cozy self-built nests or use tree hollows or some other shelter. Often they compete for tree hollows, especially in preparation for a long hibernation. Cockerell's pygmy lemurs build globular leaf nests high in the canopy. Sometimes they are occupied by forked lemurs.

Individual species of these lemurs have a feature unique to primates: during the dry season, they can hibernate or stupor for several weeks or even months. Interestingly, in gray mouse lemurs, only females fall into suspended animation, while males remain active all year round.

Recent research suggests a complex social behavior some types. For example, adult Cockerell dwarf lemurs usually sleep alone, but occasionally find adult males sleeping in pairs. Thick-tailed and forked-striped species always sleep in a pair with permanent partners of the opposite sex. And gray mouse lemurs prefer to sleep in large groups consisting of males and females. Sometimes there are more than 15 individuals in one hollow, but more often 4-5.

Among the fork-nosed and thick-tailed pygmy lemurs, pairs claim their territory by holding grand duet concerts and also marking the boundaries with feces.

Diet of small primates

Miniature lemurs feed on fruits, small arthropods, and gum. All representatives of the family in question diversify their diet with flowers and nectar. Fat-tailed dwarf lemurs prefer fruits. And the diet of the dwarf lemur Cockerel, among other things, includes vertebrates - chameleons and snakes. There are also those who eat practically only gum (forked lemurs). These animals have a long tongue and teeth adapted to cut the bark of trees and lick the tree sap that flows out.

How do lemurs communicate?

Just as people speak different dialects that reflect their regional affiliation, so many representatives of the animal world communicate in special languages. Scientists have found that mouse lemurs also have their own dialects.

To study the population structure of lemurs, zoologists used various methods(multiple repeated capture of animals, radio collars, determination of the genotype of many dozens of individuals and marking them with microchips). As a result, it was found that a large population can consist of smaller neighboring groups of about 35 individuals each. Young females usually stay with the matter, while young males migrate to other places. Individuals of a community scattered throughout the territory communicate using a wide range of sounds with a frequency of 10-36 kHz (a person hears sounds in the range of 0.02-20 kHz). Sounds with frequencies beyond our hearing range have been studied using special devices. It turned out that, like other mammals living in groups, in lemurs, each individual and its sex can be identified by crying. But it turns out that screams are individual not only for each animal. Neighboring communities speak different dialects.

During the mating season, males emit a vibrating sound. This call is an integral part of the reproduction process. Shouts with a frequency of 13-35 kHz, lasting about a second, consist of musical phrases lined up in a certain order and resemble birdsong. The frequency of repetition of calls depends on the motivation of the male, the degree of interest of females and the calls of competing males. Animals from the same community emit trills, recognizable in the common chorus and at the same time sharply different from the calls of males from neighboring communities.

Enemies of miniature lemurs

Due to their miniature size and high population density, mouse and pygmy lemurs are easy prey for predators. Birds of prey alone destroy up to 30% of the population of mouse lemurs per year. Small animals are also hunted by civets, mongooses and large snakes.

conservation in nature

Population densities of pygmy and mouse lemurs can be very high. Widespread species are not at risk of extinction. However, such a species as the hairy-eared lemur is very rare, and its habitat and biological features are practically not studied.

Some mouse lemurs adapt well to environmental changes and continue to live in secondary forests, on clearings and plantations, but, as observations show, under these conditions, the animals are not able to maintain a viable population.

Dwarf and mouse lemurs are rarely mentioned in conservation projects, in part because their distribution and lifestyle remain poorly understood.

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