Northern Giant Mouse Lemur
Encyclopedia
The northern giant mouse lemur (Mirza zaza), or northern dwarf lemur, was discovered to be a species
in 2005 by Kappeler et al. from the German primates centre and the University of Göttingen. Before, both populations of giant mouse lemur
s were believed to belong to one species. The northern giant mouse lemurs are small nocturnal lemur
s endemic to Madagascar
. They weigh about 300 grams (10.6 oz), have a long bushy tail and relatively small ears. Their large testicle
s are an indication of their promiscuous copulation system.
. Kappeler et al. choose this name for two reasons. First, the northern giant mouse lemur is the smaller of the two giant mouse lemur species. Second, they wished to emphasize the responsibility of the current generation of Malagasy children for the conservation of Malagasy animals for future generations.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
in 2005 by Kappeler et al. from the German primates centre and the University of Göttingen. Before, both populations of giant mouse lemur
Giant mouse lemur
The giant mouse lemurs are small lemur species in the genus Mirza. They are native to the western deciduous forests of Madagascar, usually located near the coast or other sources of water...
s were believed to belong to one species. The northern giant mouse lemurs are small nocturnal lemur
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...
s endemic to Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
. They weigh about 300 grams (10.6 oz), have a long bushy tail and relatively small ears. Their large testicle
Testicle
The testicle is the male gonad in animals. Like the ovaries to which they are homologous, testes are components of both the reproductive system and the endocrine system...
s are an indication of their promiscuous copulation system.
Etymology
The word "zaza" means child in MalagasyMalagasy language
Malagasy is the national language of Madagascar, a member of the Austronesian family of languages. Most people in Madagascar speak it as a first language as do some people of Malagasy descent elsewhere.-History:...
. Kappeler et al. choose this name for two reasons. First, the northern giant mouse lemur is the smaller of the two giant mouse lemur species. Second, they wished to emphasize the responsibility of the current generation of Malagasy children for the conservation of Malagasy animals for future generations.