The Cheirogaleidae are the family of
strepsirrhine
Strepsirrhini or Strepsirhini (; ) is a suborder of primates that includes the lemuriform primates, which consist of the lemurs of Madagascar, galagos ("bushbabies") and pottos from Africa, and the lorises from India and southeast Asia. Colle ...
primate
Primates are a diverse order of mammals. They are divided into the strepsirrhines, which include the lemurs, galagos, and lorisids, and the haplorhines, which include the tarsiers and the simians ( monkeys and apes, the latter including ...
s containing the various dwarf and mouse lemurs. Like all other
lemur
Lemurs ( ) (from Latin ''lemures'' – ghosts or spirits) are wet-nosed primates of the superfamily Lemuroidea (), divided into 8 families and consisting of 15 genera and around 100 existing species. They are endemic to the island of Madagas ...
s, cheirogaleids live exclusively on the island of
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 ...
.
Characteristics
Cheirogaleids are smaller than the other lemurs and, in fact, they are the smallest primates. They have soft, long fur, colored grey-brown to reddish on top, with a generally brighter underbelly. Typically, they have small ears, large, close-set eyes, and long hind legs. Like all strepsirrhines, they have fine claws at the second toe of the hind legs. They grow to a size of only 13 to 28 cm, with a tail that is very long, sometimes up to one and a half times as long as the body. They weigh no more than 500 grams, with some species weighing as little as 60 grams.
Dwarf and mouse lemurs are
nocturnal and
arboreal
Arboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some animals may scale trees only occasionally, but others are exclusively arboreal. The habitats pose nu ...
. They are excellent climbers and can also jump far, using their long tails for balance. When on the ground (a rare occurrence), they move by hopping on their hind legs. They spend the day in tree hollows or leaf nests. Cheirogaleids are typically solitary, but sometimes live together in pairs.
Their eyes possess a
tapetum lucidum
The ''tapetum lucidum'' ( ; ; ) is a layer of tissue in the eye of many vertebrates and some other animals. Lying immediately behind the retina, it is a retroreflector. It reflects visible light back through the retina, increasing the light a ...
, a light-reflecting layer that improves their night vision. Some species, such as the
lesser dwarf lemur, store fat at the hind legs and the base of the tail, and hibernate. Unlike
lemurids, they have long upper
incisor
Incisors (from Latin ''incidere'', "to cut") are the front teeth present in most mammals. They are located in the premaxilla above and on the mandible below. Humans have a total of eight (two on each side, top and bottom). Opossums have 18, wher ...
s, although they do have the comb-like teeth typical of all strepsirhines. They have the
dental formula
Dentition pertains to the development of teeth and their arrangement in the mouth. In particular, it is the characteristic arrangement, kind, and number of teeth in a given species at a given age. That is, the number, type, and morpho-physiolog ...
:
Cheirogaleids are
omnivores, eating fruits, flowers and leaves (and sometimes nectar), as well as insects, spiders, and small vertebrates.
[
The females usually have three pairs of nipples. After a meager 60-day gestation, they will bear two to four (usually two or three) young. After five to six weeks, the young are weaned and become fully mature near the end of their first year or sometime in their second year, depending on the species. In human care, they can live for up to 15 years, although their life expectancy in the wild is probably significantly shorter.
]
Classification
The five genera of cheirogaleids contain 42 species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
.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
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 ...
''
**** Furry-eared dwarf lemur
The furry-eared dwarf lemur (''Cheirogaleus crossleyi''), or Crossley's dwarf lemur, only found on the island of Madagascar, as with all other lemurs. It has a pelage
Fur is a thick growth of hair that covers the skin of mammals. It consists ...
, '' 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
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 ...
''
**** 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 Madag ...
, '' 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
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 ...
''
**** 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.
Hibernation
Recent research has shown that ''C. medius'' hibernat ...
, ''Cheirogaleus medius
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.
Hibernation
Recent research has shown that ''C. medius'' hibernat ...
''
**** Lesser iron-gray dwarf lemur, '' Cheirogaleus minusculus''
**** Ankarana dwarf lemur, '' 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 tha ...
, '' Cheirogaleus sibreei''
**** Thomas' dwarf lemur, '' Cheirogaleus thomasi''[
**** Arnhold's mouse lemur, '' Microcebus arnholdi'']Madame Berthe's mouse lemur
Madame Berthe's mouse lemur (''Microcebus berthae'') or Berthe's mouse lemur is the smallest of the mouse lemurs and the smallest primate in the world; the average body length is and seasonal weight is around . ''Microcebus berthae'' is one of ...
, ''Microcebus berthae
Madame Berthe's mouse lemur (''Microcebus berthae'') or Berthe's mouse lemur is the smallest of the mouse lemurs and the smallest primate in the world; the average body length is and seasonal weight is around . ''Microcebus berthae'' is one of ...
''
**** Bongolava mouse lemur '' Microcebus bongolavensis''Boraha mouse lemur
The Nosy Boraha mouse lemur (''Microcebus boraha'') is a species of mouse lemur described in 2016 from Madagascar. It was discovered by a team of researchers at the German Primate Center. It was initially discovered among closely related species ...
'' Microcebus boraha''Danfoss' mouse lemur
Danfoss's mouse lemur (''Microcebus danfossi''), or the Ambarijeby mouse lemur, is a species of mouse lemur endemic to Madagascar. It lives in western deciduous forest within a limited range between the Sofia River and the Maevarano River. This ...
'' Microcebus danfossi''Ganzhorn's mouse lemur
Ganzhorn's mouse lemur (''Microcebus ganzhorni'') is a species of lemur described in 2016. The discovery was made by researchers at the German Primate Center. It was discovered in Madagascar among closely related species such as Madame Berthe's m ...
. '' Microcebus ganzhorni''Gerp's mouse lemur
Gerp's mouse lemur (''Microcebus gerpi'') is a species of mouse lemur known only from the Sahafina Forest in eastern Madagascar, near Mantadia National Park. Its discovery was announced in 2012 by a German and Malagasy research team. The Saha ...
. '' Microcebus gerpi''Reddish-gray mouse lemur
The reddish-gray mouse lemur (''Microcebus griseorufus'') also known as the gray-brown mouse lemur or rufous-gray mouse lemur, is a small, solitary-but-social, nocturnal and omnivorous primate from the Western Madagascar in the region around B ...
, '' Microcebus griseorufus''
**** Jolly's mouse lemur
Jolly's mouse lemur (''Microcebus jollyae'') is a species of mouse lemur from Mananjary and Kianjavato in Madagascar. The species is named in honor of primatologist Alison Jolly.
Jolly's mouse lemur is uniformly reddish-brown with a small whi ...
, '' Microcebus jollyae''
**** Jonah's mouse lemur
''Microcebus jonahi'', or Jonah's mouse lemur, is tiny species of primate. It weighs 60 g and has a body length of around 13 cm and its tail measures around 13 cm as well. It is the 25th recognized species of mouse lemur and the 1 ...
, '' Microcebus jonahi''
**** Goodman's mouse lemur
Goodman's mouse lemur (''Microcebus lehilahytsara'') is a species of mouse lemur from the region near Andasibe in eastern Madagascar. The species is named in honor of primatologist Steven M. Goodman. "Lehilahytsara" is a combination of the Mal ...
, '' Microcebus lehilahytsara''
**** MacArthur's mouse lemur
MacArthur's mouse lemur (''Microcebus macarthurii''), or the Anjiahely mouse lemur, is a species of mouse lemur known only from Makira Natural Park in northeastern Madagascar.
The species is named in honor of the founder of the MacArthur Foundat ...
, '' Microcebus macarthurii''
**** Claire's mouse lemur, '' Microcebus mamiratra'',Bemanasy mouse lemur
The Bemanasy mouse lemur, ''Microcebus manitatra'', is a species of mouse lemur described in 2016 from Madagascar. It was discovered by a team of researchers at the German Primate Center. It was initially discovered among closely related species ...
, '' Microcebus manitatra''Microcebus margotmarshae
Margot Marsh's mouse lemur or the Antafondro mouse lemur (''Microcebus margotmarshae'') is a species of mouse lemur endemic to Madagascar. Its holotype was first collected on 21 May 2006, proposed in 2006 by Andriantompohavana ''et al.'', and wa ...
''Marohita mouse lemur
The Marohita mouse lemur (''Microcebus marohita'') is a species of mouse lemur known only from the Marohita Forest in eastern Madagascar, near the village of Marolambo. Specimens were first collected in December 2003, and its discovery was anno ...
, '' Microcebus marohita''Gray mouse lemur
The gray mouse lemur (''Microcebus murinus''), grey mouse lemur or lesser mouse lemur, is a small lemur, a type of strepsirrhine primate, found only on the island of Madagascar. Weighing , it is the largest of the mouse lemurs (genus ''Micro ...
, ''Microcebus murinus
The gray mouse lemur (''Microcebus murinus''), grey mouse lemur or lesser mouse lemur, is a small lemur, a type of strepsirrhine primate, found only on the island of Madagascar. Weighing , it is the largest of the mouse lemurs (genus ''Microceb ...
''
**** Pygmy mouse lemur, '' Microcebus myoxinus''
**** Golden-brown mouse lemur, '' Microcebus ravelobensis''
**** Brown mouse lemur
The brown mouse lemur (''Microcebus rufus'') is a small primate, and like the other mouse lemurs can only be found on the island of Madagascar. They are known also as the rufous mouse lemur, eastern rufous mouse lemur, red mouse lemur, or russet ...
, '' Microcebus rufus''
**** Sambirano mouse lemur, '' Microcebus sambiranensis''
**** Simmons' mouse lemur, '' Microcebus simmonsi''
**** Anosy mouse lemur
The Anosy mouse lemur (''Microcebus tanosi'') is a species of mouse lemur known only from the Manantantely Forest and Ivorona Forest in southeastern Madagascar, near Tôlanaro. Specimens were first collected in April 2007, and its discovery wa ...
. '' Microcebus tanosi''Mirza coquereli
Coquerel's giant mouse lemur (''Mirza coquereli''), also known as Coquerel's dwarf lemur or the southern giant mouse lemur, is a small nocturnal lemur endemic to Madagascar. This species can be found in parts of the Madagascar dry deciduous fores ...
''
**** Northern giant mouse lemur, '' Mirza zaza''
*** Genus '' Allocebus''
**** Hairy-eared dwarf lemur
The hairy-eared dwarf lemur (''Allocebus trichotis''), or hairy-eared mouse lemur, is one of the most scarcely known lemurs. ''A. trichotis'' is a nocturnal lemur that is endemic to Madagascar. It was originally named by Albert Günther in 1875 ...
, ''Allocebus trichotis
The hairy-eared dwarf lemur (''Allocebus trichotis''), or hairy-eared mouse lemur, is one of the most scarcely known lemurs. ''A. trichotis'' is a nocturnal lemur that is endemic to Madagascar. It was originally named by Albert Günther in 1875 a ...
''
*** Genus '' Phaner'': fork-marked lemurs
**** Masoala fork-marked lemur, '' Phaner furcifer''
**** Pale fork-marked lemur, ''Phaner pallescens
The pale fork-marked lemur (''Phaner pallescens''), or western fork-marked lemur, is a species of lemur known from western Madagascar; south of the Fiherenana River to the region of Soalala. It is listed on CITES
CITES (shorter name for the ...
''
**** Pariente's fork-marked lemur, '' Phaner parienti''
**** Amber Mountain fork-marked lemur
The Amber Mountain fork-marked lemur (''Phaner electromontis''), also known as the Montagne d'Ambre fork-crowned lemur or Tanta, is a small primate, and like the other lemurs, can only be found on the island of Madagascar. The species is named aft ...
, '' Phaner electromontis''
Footnotes
*According to the letter of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature
The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) is a widely accepted convention in zoology that rules the formal scientific naming of organisms treated as animals. It is also informally known as the ICZN Code, for its publisher, the ...
, the correct name for this family should be Microcebidae, but the name Cheirogaleidae has been retained for stability.[ but ''Microcebus lokobensis'' ( Lokobe mouse lemur) was not among the additions, even though it was described in 2006. Therefore, its status as a species is still questionable.
]
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q271785
Lemurs
Primate families
Taxa named by John Edward Gray
Taxa described in 1873