Greater dwarf lemur

Greater dwarf lemur
CITES Appendix I (CITES)[2]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Suborder: Strepsirrhini
Family: Cheirogaleidae
Genus: Cheirogaleus
Species:
C. major
Binomial name
Cheirogaleus major
Greater dwarf lemur range[1]
Synonyms
  • commersonii Wolf, 1822
  • griseus Lesson, 1840
  • milii É. Geoffroy, 1828
  • typicus A. Smith, 1833
  • typus F. Cuvier, 1842

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 Madagascar. Greater dwarf lemurs live in forests and dry scrub areas. The head and body of the greater dwarf lemur can range from 167 to 264 millimeters in length, and 164 to 600 grams. Their tails can range from 195 to 310 millimeters in length.[4]

Greater dwarf lemurs are nocturnal. During the day, they sleep in nests of twigs, leaves, and grass, or hollowed sections of trees padded with dry leaves.[4]

Their diet consists mostly of fruits, flowers, and nectar. Flower nectar is an important part of the diet from November to December. Sometimes they will also eat insects and small vertebrates. During the dry seasons they will store fat in their tail and become dormant.[5]

Its fur is short, dense, grey or reddish brown, and there are dark circles of fur around the eyes. At the end of the wet season the tail will become somewhat swollen with fat.[4]

The greater dwarf lemur is preyed upon by the ring-tailed mongoose (Galidia elegans) during the dormant season. Other predators the Malagasy tree boa (Boa manditra), the Madagascar buzzard (Buteo brachypterus),[6] and it is thought probably by the fossa (Cryptoprocta ferox) as well, since the latter preys on other lemurs.[7]

  1. ^ a b Blanco, M.; Borgerson, C.; Dolch, R.; Donati, G.; Ganzhorn, J.; Greene, L.K.; Le Pors, B.; Lewis, R.; Louis, E.E.; Rafalinirina, H.A.; Raharivololona, B.; Rakotoarisoa, G.; Ralison, J.; Randriahaingo, H.N.T.; Rasoloarison, R.M.; Razafindrasolo, M.; Sgarlata, G.M.; Wright, P.; Zaonarivelo, J. (2020). "Cheirogaleus major". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T54778911A115588708. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T54778911A115588708.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ^ Harcourt, C. (1990). Thornback, J (ed.). Lemurs of Madagascar and the Comoros: The IUCN Red Data Book (PDF). World Conservation Union. ISBN 978-2-88032-957-0. OCLC 28425691.
  3. ^ 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. 112. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. OCLC 62265494.
  4. ^ a b c Cooper, A. 2000. "Cheirogaleus major" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed July 25, 2012 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Cheirogaleus_major.html
  5. ^ "Greater Dwarf Lemur (Cheirogaleus major)". Archived from the original on February 8, 2008. Retrieved 26 July 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  6. ^ Goodman, S. M.; O'Conner, S.; Langrand, O. (1993). "A Review of Predation on Lemurs: Implications for the Evolution of Social Behavior in Small, Nocturnal Primates". Lemur Social Systems and Their Ecological Basis. pp. 51–66. doi:10.1007/978-1-4899-2412-4_5. ISBN 978-1-4899-2414-8.
  7. ^ Wright, P. C.; et al. (1997). "Predation on Milne Edwards Sifaka (Propithecus diadema edwardsi) by the Fossa (Cryptoprocta ferox) in the rainforest of southeastern Madagascar". Folia Primatologica. 68 (1): 34–43. doi:10.1159/000157230. PMID 9170643.