Small-toothed sportive lemur
Small-toothed sportive lemur | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Primates |
Suborder: | Strepsirrhini |
Family: | Lepilemuridae |
Genus: | Lepilemur |
Species: | L. microdon
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Binomial name | |
Lepilemur microdon Forsyth Major, 1894
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Distribution of Lepilemur microdon[1] |
The small-toothed sportive lemur (Lepilemur microdon), or small-toothed weasel lemur, is a
According to the original description, some of its teeth are smaller than those in other sportive lemurs. It is relatively large for a sportive lemur, and is difficult to visually distinguish from the weasel sportive lemur. The species weighs between 0.9 and 1.2 kg (2.0 and 2.6 lb) and measures 55 to 64 cm (22 to 25 in) from head to tail. Its fur is mostly reddish-brown or chestnut color, with a dark stripe running from its head down its back. Its underside and neck are lighter in color. Like other sportive lemurs, it is nocturnal, sleeping in concealed tangles of vegetation as well as tree holes. The small-toothed sportive lemur is solitary and eats leaves, fruits, and flowers.
Due to recent taxonomic changes and a lack of clarity about its population size and range, it was listed as "
Taxonomy and phylogeny
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Phylogeny and relationships of L. microdon with its most closely related Lepilemur species based on mitochondrial DNA sequences from the PAST fragment (top) and D-loop (bottom).[3] |
The small-toothed sportive lemur or small-toothed weasel lemur, a member of the sportive lemur genus (Lepilemur),[4][5] was first described in 1894 by Charles Immanuel Forsyth Major, based on a specimen found in the Ankafana Forest in the eastern districts of the former Betsileo province in central Madagascar. Although Forsyth Major did not explicitly state the origins of either the scientific name or the vernacular name, he did note that it had smaller molar teeth relative to other sportive lemurs.[6] The species name microdon is derived from the Ancient Greek micro-, meaning "small"[7] and -odon, meaning "tooth."[8]
Until the 1990s, there was some dispute over the
A
In September 2006, Edward E. Louis Jr. et al. announced the discovery of 11 new species of sportive lemur based on
Between 2006 and 2009, three studies were published to resolve the phylogenetic relationships between the sportive lemurs. Cytogenetic and molecular studies in 2006 and 2008 concluded that the small-toothed sportive lemur is most closely related to the Milne-Edwards' sportive lemur (Lepilemur edwardsi).[20][21] In 2009, a study examined every known species, including the species most recently described, using two pieces of mtDNA: the D-loop and an array of genes known as the PAST fragment. The resulting data placed the sportive lemurs into four groups: Section A from northern and northwestern Madagascar, section B from northwestern Madagascar, section C from west central and southern Madagascar, and section D from eastern Madagascar. Only the small-toothed sportive lemur generated conflicting results when comparing the results between the mtDNA and D-loop data.[22] The PAST data placed it in section B, while the D-loop data placed it in section C.[23] The relationship between the small-toothed sportive lemur, an eastern Malagasy species, and a group of species from the west coast of Madagascar suggests that the ancestral population of the small-toothed sportive lemur dispersed to its current range from western Madagascar using river corridors. However, the conflicting data about the relationship of the small-toothed sportive lemur to either section B or section C render the precise dispersal route uncertain.[22]
Description
Compared to other sportive lemurs, the small-toothed sportive lemur is relatively large, weighing between 0.9 and 1.2 kg (2.0 and 2.6 lb) and measuring 55 to 64 cm (22 to 25 in) from head to tail. Its head-body length is 27 to 32 cm (11 to 13 in), and its tail measures between 25 and 29 cm (9.8 and 11.4 in).
Like all sportive lemurs, they can easily be confused with woolly lemurs (genus Avahi), and sometimes with the much smaller dwarf lemurs (genus Cheirogaleus). Unlike the woolly lemurs, sportive lemurs have prominent ears, and they lack the white patches usually found on the thighs of woolly lemurs. All sportive lemurs have long legs compared to their arms and trunk and the face is covered with short hairs.[25]
According to a review by Henry Ogg Forbes in 1894, the species differs from other sportive lemurs—as its name suggests—by having significantly smaller molar teeth. Forbes also claimed that compared with the weasel sportive lemur, its bony palate is longer and it has a depression at the base of the nasal (nose) region.[6] Like other sportive lemurs, the cecum (beginning of the large intestine) is enlarged, presumably to handle its leaf-rich diet, which is more characteristic of larger primates.[26]
Habitat and distribution
The small-toothed sportive lemur is found in inland southeastern Madagascar, ranging from Ranomafana National Park southwest to Andringitra National Park.[24] The Namorona River acts as the northern border of its range, and the Manampatrana River may act as a southern border, where the species seems to be replaced by the James' sportive lemur.[1] Further studies are needed to clarify its range and relationship with other sportive lemurs in southeastern Madagascar. The species inhabits dense rainforest.[24]
A preliminary study at Ranomafana National Park in 1995 indicated the small-toothed sportive lemur may avoid competing with woolly lemurs for food (interspecific competition) by living in more disturbed areas of the park. Woolly lemur population density (and thus competition for food) appeared to affect the species distribution more than the availability of sleep sites.[27]
Behavior and ecology
Like all sportive lemurs, the small-toothed sportive lemur is nocturnal, sleeping in tree cavities or hidden tangles of vines and leaves during the day. The species is considered solitary, and like other rainforest-dwelling sportive lemurs, they vocalize significantly less than sportive lemurs that live in drier forests. Other similarities with the rest of the sportive lemur species include its diet of leaves, fruits, and flowers,[24] its low resting metabolic rate, and its low activity rate.[26]
In general, predators of sportive lemurs include diurnal birds of prey and carnivores, such as the fossa. The only recorded instance of predation on the small-toothed sportive lemur was by a Henst's goshawk (Accipiter henstii).[28]
Conservation
The small-toothed sportive lemur is listed under
Like many species of lemur, it is threatened with
According to the
See also
- Evolutionary history of lemurs
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Wright, P.; Hearthstone, E.; Andrianoely, D.; Donohue, M.E. (2020). "Lepilemur microdon". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T11619A115566492. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
- ^ "Checklist of CITES Species". CITES. UNEP-WCMC. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
- ^ Ramaromilanto et al. 2009, pp. 7–9.
- ^ Mittermeier et al. 2010, pp. 252–253.
- ^ a b Groves 2005, p. 118.
- ^ a b c Forbes 1894, p. 88.
- ^ Borror 1960, p. 59.
- ^ Borror 1960, p. 65.
- ^ a b Nowak 1999, p. 82.
- ^ Rumpler & Albignac 1978, p. 191.
- ^ Tattersall 1982, pp. 73–75.
- ^ Mittermeier et al. 1994, p. 131.
- ^ a b Andriaholinirina et al. 2005, p. 239.
- ^ Andriaholinirina et al. 2005, pp. 239–241.
- ^ Andriaholinirina et al. 2005, p. 241.
- ^ a b Mittermeier et al. 2010, p. 232.
- ^ Louis et al. 2006, pp. 19–29.
- ^ Louis et al. 2006, pp. 35–47.
- ^ Thalmann & Ganzhorn 2003, p. 1336.
- ^ Rumpler et al. 2008, p. 1151.
- ^ Andriaholinirina et al. 2006, p. 6.
- ^ a b Ramaromilanto et al. 2009, p. 11.
- ^ Ramaromilanto et al. 2009, p. 6.
- ^ a b c d e f Mittermeier et al. 2010, p. 252.
- ^ Mittermeier et al. 2010, p. 231.
- ^ a b Porter 1998, p. 172.
- ^ Porter 1998, p. 174.
- ^ Goodman 2003, pp. 1222–1224.
- ^ Harcourt 1990, p. 89.
- ^ a b c Mittermeier et al. 2010, p. 253.
Literature cited
- Andriaholinirina, N.; Rabarivola, C.; Hauwy, M.; Rumpler, Y. (2005). "Cytogenetic study of Lepilemur microdon". Folia Primatologica. 76 (4): 238–241. S2CID 39030479.
- Andriaholinirina, N.; Fausser, J. L.; Roos, C.; Zinner, D.; Thalmann, U.; Rabarivola, C.; Ravoarimanana, I.; Ganzhorn, J. U.; Meier, B.; Hilgartner, R.; Walter, L.; Zaramody, A.; Langer, C.; Hahn, T.; Zimmermann, E.; Radespiel, U.; Craul, M.; Tomiuk, J. R.; Tattersall, I.; Rumpler, Y. (2006). "Molecular phylogeny and taxonomic revision of the sportive lemurs (Lepilemur, Primates)". BMC Evolutionary Biology. 6: 17. PMID 16504080.
- Borror, D. J. (1960). Dictionary of Word Roots and Combining Forms. Mayfield Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0-87484-053-7.
- Forbes, H. O. (1894). Sharpe, R. B (ed.). Handbook of Primates. Vol. 1. W. H. Allen & Co. Limited.
- Goodman, Steven M.; Benstead, Jonathan P. (2003). Goodman, S.M.; Benstead, J.P. (eds.). The Natural History of Madagascar. University of Chicago Press. OCLC 51447871.
- Goodman, S. M. (2003). Predation on lemurs. pp. 1221–1228.
- Thalmann, U.; Ganzhorn, J. U. (2003). Lepilemur, sportive lemur. pp. 1336–1340.
- OCLC 62265494.
- Harcourt, C. (1990). Thornback, J (ed.). Lemurs of Madagascar and the Comoros: The IUCN Red Data Book. World Conservation Union. ISBN 978-2-88032-957-0.
- Louis, E. E. Jr.; Engberg, S. E.; Lei, R.; Geng, H.; Sommer, J. A.; Randriamampionona, R.; Randriamanana, Jean C.; Zaonarivelo, J. R.; Andriantompohavana, R.; Randria, G. (2006). Molecular and morphological analyses of the sportive lemurs (Family Megaladapidae: Genus Lepilemur) reveals 11 previously unrecognized species (PDF). Vol. 49. Museum of Texas Tech University. pp. 1–49. OCLC 75214264. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-06-05.)
{{cite book}}
:|journal=
ignored (help - OCLC 32480729.
- OCLC 670545286.
- Nowak, R. M. (1999). Walker's Mammals of the World (6th ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 978-0-8018-5789-8.
- Porter, L. M. (1998). "Influences on the distribution of Lepilemur microdon in the Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar". Folia Primatologica. 69 (3): 172–176. S2CID 202644657.
- Ramaromilanto, B.; Lei, R.; Engberg, S. E.; Johnson, S. E.; Sitzmann, B. D.; Louis, Jr., E. E. (2009). "Sportive lemur diversity at Mananara-Nord Biosphere Reserve, Madagascar" (PDF). Occasional Papers. 286: 1–22. OCLC 424383680.
- Rumpler, Y.; Albignac, R. (1978). "Chromosome studies of the Lepilemur, an endemic Malagasy genus of lemurs: Contribution of the cytogenetics to their taxonomy". Journal of Human Evolution. 7 (3): 191–196. .
- Rumpler, Y.; Warter, S.; Hauwy, M.; Fausser, J.-L.; Roos, C.; Zinner, D. (2008). "Comparing chromosomal and mitochondrial phylogenies of sportive lemurs (Genus Lepilemur, Primates)". Chromosome Research. 16 (8): 1143–1158. S2CID 27040940.
- Tattersall, I. (1982). "The Living Species of Malagasy Primates". The Primates of Madagascar. Columbia University Press. ISBN 978-0-231-04704-3.