Greater dwarf lemur
Encyclopedia
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
.
Its fur is grey or reddish brown, and there are dark circles around the eyes. At the end of the wet season the tail will become somewhat swollen with fat.
It is preyed upon by the ring-tailed mongoose
(Galidia elegans) and the Madagascar buzzard
(Buteo brachypterus), and it is thought probably by the Fossa
(Cryptoprocta ferox) as well, since the latter preys on other lemurs.
, Ancaya, Ambodivoangy, and Fesi Malendo were known as a separate species, the greater iron-gray dwarf lemur (Cheirogaleus ravus). It was described as having a pelage coloration that is iron-gray with brownish tones, a vague dorsal stripe, white feet, a tail with a white tip, and dark ears that are either naked or sparsely covered with hair. However, in 2009, Groeneveld et al demonstrated genetically that Cheirogaleus ravus was a synonym of Cheirogaleus major, so the greater iron-gray dwarf lemur is no longer recognized as a species.
Lemur
Lemurs are a clade of strepsirrhine primates endemic to the island of Madagascar. They are named after the lemures of Roman mythology due to the ghostly vocalizations, reflective eyes, and the nocturnal habits of some species...
that is widely distributed over the primary and secondary forests near the eastern coast of Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
.
Its fur is grey or reddish brown, and there are dark circles around the eyes. At the end of the wet season the tail will become somewhat swollen with fat.
It is preyed upon by the ring-tailed mongoose
Ring-tailed mongoose
The Ring-tailed mongoose is a euplerid that lives on the island of Madagascar. There is actually much disagreement about the placement of Madagascar's carnivores including the Ring-tailed mongoose, within the phylogenetic tree. Recent molecular work by Anne Yoder et al...
(Galidia elegans) and the Madagascar buzzard
Madagascar Buzzard
The Madagascar Buzzard is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests....
(Buteo brachypterus), and it is thought probably by the Fossa
Fossa (animal)
The fossa is a cat-like, carnivorous mammal that is endemic to Madagascar. It is a member of the Eupleridae, a family of carnivorans closely related to the mongoose family . Its classification has been controversial because its physical traits resemble those of cats, yet other traits suggest a...
(Cryptoprocta ferox) as well, since the latter preys on other lemurs.
Taxonomy
Between 2000 and 2009, populations of dwarf lemur around Tamatave, Tampira, MahamboMahambo
Mahambo is a town and commune in Madagascar. It belongs to the district of Fenerive Est, which is a part of Analanjirofo Region. The population of the commune was estimated to be approximately 26,000 in 2001 commune census....
, Ancaya, Ambodivoangy, and Fesi Malendo were known as a separate species, the greater iron-gray dwarf lemur (Cheirogaleus ravus). It was described as having a pelage coloration that is iron-gray with brownish tones, a vague dorsal stripe, white feet, a tail with a white tip, and dark ears that are either naked or sparsely covered with hair. However, in 2009, Groeneveld et al demonstrated genetically that Cheirogaleus ravus was a synonym of Cheirogaleus major, so the greater iron-gray dwarf lemur is no longer recognized as a species.