The southern woolly lemur (Avahi meridionalis), or southern avahi, has been recently recognized as a separate species of woolly lemur

Woolly lemur

The woolly lemurs, also known as avahis or woolly indris, are nine species of strepsirrhine primates. Like all other lemurs, they live only on the island of Madagascar....

 in 2006 by Zaramody et al. It is a nocturnal and pair-living species. Groups can range from 2 (the parental pair only) to 5 individuals (including the offspring of subsequent years).

Distribution

The species is restricted to the reserve of Andohahela and the area of Sainte Luce. Further studies are required to determine the exact distribution range and especially the limits with its sister species Peyrieras' woolly lemur

Peyrieras' Woolly Lemur

The Peyrieras' woolly lemur or Peyrieras' avahi is a species of woolly lemur native to southeastern Madagascar. It weighs about 1 kg....

 (A. peyrierasi). In southeastern littoral forests, sympatric lemur species of Avahi meridionalis are the brown mouse lemur (Microcebus rufus), the greater dwarf lemur

Greater dwarf lemur

The greater dwarf lemur , 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....

 (Cheirogaleus major), the fat-tailed dwarf lemur

Fat-tailed dwarf lemur

The fat-tailed dwarf lemur , also known as the lesser dwarf lemur, western fat-tailed dwarf lemur, or spiny forest dwarf lemur, is one of the smallest primates. It is endemic to Madagascar....

 Cheirogaleus medius and the collared brown lemur

Collared Brown Lemur

The collared brown lemur , also known as the red-collared brown lemur or red-collared lemur, is a medium-sized strepsirrhine primate and one of twelve species of brown lemur in the Lemuridae family. It is only found in south-eastern Madagascar. Like most species of lemur, it is arboreal, moving...

 (Eulemur collaris) in Sainte Luce Forest, and the Southern Lesser Bamboo Lemur

Southern Lesser Bamboo Lemur

The southern lesser bamboo lemur , also known as the southern bamboo lemur, rusty-gray bamboo lemur, and southern gentle lemur, is species of bamboo lemur endemic to southern Madagascar near Tôlanaro. It was originally proposed as a subspecies of the eastern lesser bamboo lemur and is of similar size...

(Hapalemur meridionalis) in Mandena Forest.

Description

Dorsal fur is grey-brown toning down to light grey distally, while ventrum is grey. The tail is red-brown and darkens distally. The southern woolly lemur has a mean weight of 1.2 kg (2.6 lb) for females and 1.1 kg (2.4 lb) for males, with a mean head-body length of 27 cm (10.6 in) and 25 cm (9.8 in) for females and males, respectively.

Diet

The southern woolly lemur is a leaf eater and feeds mainly on young and adult leaves but also on buds and, rarely, on flowers.

Conservation

The southern woolly lemur lives primarily in fragments of south-eastern rain littoral forest of Madagascar (Mandena and Sainte Luce). Degradation level, more than fragment size, seems to affect density and birth rates of the populations of this species.

External links

• Image of female and young
• Primate Info Net Avahi Factsheets
• Avahi cleesei report