The
Ring-tailed Lemur (
Lemur catta) is a large
StrepsirhineThe clade Strepsirrhini is one of the two suborders of primates. One of the most distinguishing characteristics of these 118 species is their wet noses, and it is this feature for which the grouping is named. The Greek name means having a curved or bent nose...
primateA primate is a member of the biological order Primates , the group that contains lemurs, lorisids, galagos, tarsiers, monkeys, and apes, with the last category including great apes. With the exception of humans, who inhabit every continent on Earth, most primates live in tropical or subtropical...
and the most recognized
lemurA lemur is a member of the biological infraorder Lemuriformes, a prosimian and strepsirrhine primate that is endemic to the island of Madagascar. The term "lemur" is derived from the Latin word lemures, meaning "spirits of the night" or "haunter". This likely refers to their large, reflective eyes...
due to its long, black and white ringed tail. It belongs to
LemuridaeLemuridae is a family of prosimian primates native to Madagascar, and one of five families commonly known as lemurs. These animals were thought to be the evolutionary predecessors of monkeys and apes, but this is no longer considered correct...
, one of four lemur families. It is the only member of the
Lemur genusIn biology, a genus is a taxonomic unit used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The term comes from Latin genus "descent, family, type, gender" , cognate with – genos, "race, stock, kin" ..In addition, genus is a taxonomic rank in the hierarchy In biology, a genus (plural:...
. Like all lemurs it is endemic to the island of
MadagascarMadagascar, or Republic of Madagascar , is an island nation in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa. The main island, also called Madagascar, is the fourth-largest island in the world, and is home to 5% of the world's plant and animal species, of which more than 80% are endemic to...
. Known locally as
Hira (
MalagasyMalagasy is the national language of Madagascar.-History:The Malagasy language is unrelated to nearby African languages, instead being the westernmost member of the Malayo-Polynesian branch of the Austronesian language family, a fact noted as long ago as the eighteenth century...
) or
Maki (
FrenchFrench is a Romance language globally spoken by about 65 million people as a first language , by 50 million as a second language, and by about another 200 million people as an acquired foreign language, with significant speakers in 57 countries. Most native speakers of the language live in France,...
and Malagasy), it inhabits
gallery forestGallery forests are evergreen forests that form as corridors along rivers or wetlands and project into landscapes that are otherwise only sparsely treed such as savannas, grasslands or deserts....
s to spiny
scrubScrubland, scrub or brush is a plant community characterized by vegetation composed largely of shrubs, often also including grasses, herbs, and geophytes. Scrubland may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity...
in the southern regions of the island. It is
omnivorousOmnivores are species that eat both plants and animals as their primary food source...
and the most
terrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land, as compared with aquatic animals, which live predominantly or entirely in the water , or amphibians, which rely on a combination of aquatic and terrestrial habitats . Terrestrial animals evolved from marine animals...
of lemurs. The animal is diurnal, being active exclusively in daylight hours.
The Ring-tailed Lemur is highly social, living in groups of up to 30 individuals. It is also female dominant, a trait common among lemurs but uncommon among other primates. To keep warm and reaffirm social bonds groups will huddle together forming a
lemur ball. The Ring-tailed Lemur will also sunbathe, sitting upright facing its underside, with its thinner white fur towards the sun. Like other lemurs, this species relies strongly on its sense of smell and marks its territory with scent glands. The males perform a unique
scent markingSpraying is behavior used by animals to identify their territory. Most commonly, this is scent marking, accomplished by depositing strong-smelling chemicals such as urine at prominent locations within the territory. Not only does the marking communicate to others of the same species, but it is...
behavior called
spur marking and will participate in
stink fights by impregnating their tail with their scent and wafting it at opponents.
As one of the most vocal primates, the Ring-tailed Lemur utilizes numerous
vocalizationsThe Ring-tailed Lemur has a complex array of distinct vocalizations used to maintain group cohesion during foraging and alert group members to the presence of a predator. The tables below detail calls documented in the wild and studied at the Duke Lemur Center....
including group cohesion and alarm calls. Despite the lack of a large brain (relative to
SimiiformThe simians are the "higher primates" familiar to most people: the Old World monkeys and apes, including humans, , and the New World monkeys or platyrrhines. Simians tend to be larger than the "lower primates" or prosimians.- Classification and evolution :The simians are split into three groups...
primates) experiments have shown that the Ring-tailed Lemur can organize sequences, understand basic arithmetic operations and preferentially select tools based on functional qualities.
Despite being listed as
Near ThreatenedNear Threatened is a conservation status assigned to species or lower taxa that may be considered threatened with extinction in the near future, although it does not currently qualify for the threatened status...
by the
IUCN Red ListThe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1948, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources is the world's main authority on the conservation...
and suffering from
habitat destructionHabitat destruction is the process in which natural habitat is rendered functionally unable to support the species present. In this process, the organisms which previously used the site are displaced or destroyed, reducing biodiversity. Habitat destruction by human activity mainly for the purpose...
, the Ring-tailed Lemur reproduces readily in captivity and is the most populous lemur in
zooA zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
s worldwide, numbering more than 2000 individuals. It typically lives 16 to 19 years in the wild and 27 years in captivity.
Etymology
The term
lemur was selected by early biologists because the calls of some elusive lemur species brought to mind the cries of the spirits of the dead, or lemures, from
Roman mythologyRoman mythology, or Latin mythology, refers to the mythological beliefs of the Italic people inhabiting the region of Latium and its main city, Ancient Rome. It can be considered as having two parts; One part, largely later and literary, consists of borrowings from Greek mythology...
. The species name,
catta, comes from the similarity between the Ring-tailed Lemur's purring vocalization and that of the
Domestic CatThe cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felines and felids, is a small carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and its ability to hunt vermin and household pests...
.
Evolutionary history
All
mammalMammals are a class of vertebrate animals whose females are characterized by the possession of mammary glands while both males and females are characterized by sweat glands, hair, three middle ear bones used in hearing, and a neocortex region in the brain.Mammals are divided into three main...
ian
fossilFossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals, plants, and other organisms from the remote past. The totality of fossils, both discovered and undiscovered, and their placement in fossiliferous rock formations and sedimentary layers is known as the fossil record...
s from Madagascar come from recent times. Thus, little is known about the evolution of the Ring-tailed Lemur, let alone the order Lemuriformes, which comprises the entire endemic primate population of the island. However,
chromosomalA chromosome is an organized structure of DNA and protein that is found in cells. It is a single piece of coiled DNA containing many genes, regulatory elements and other nucleotide sequences. Chromosomes also contain DNA-bound proteins, which serve to package the DNA and control its functions...
and
molecularThe molecular clock is a technique in molecular evolution which uses fossil constraints and rates of molecular change to deduce the time in geologic history when two species or other taxa diverged. It is used to estimate the time of occurrence of events called speciation or radiation...
evidence suggest that lemurs are more closely related to each other than to other
StrepsirrhineThe clade Strepsirrhini is one of the two suborders of primates. One of the most distinguishing characteristics of these 118 species is their wet noses, and it is this feature for which the grouping is named. The Greek name means having a curved or bent nose...
primates. For this to have happened, it is thought that a very small ancestral population came to Madagascar via a single
rafting eventRafting events occur when organisms transfer from one land mass to another by way of a sea crossing on large clumps of floating vegetation. Such matted clumps of vegetation are often seen floating down major rivers in the tropics and washing out to sea, occasionally with animals trapped on...
between 50 and 80 million years ago. Subsequent
evolutionary radiationAn evolutionary radiation is an increase in taxonomic diversity or morphological disparity, due to adaptive change or the opening of ecospace. Radiations may affect one clade or many, and be rapid or gradual; where they are rapid, and driven by a single lineage's adaptation to their environment,...
and
speciationSpeciation is the evolutionary process by which new biological species arise. The biologist Orator F. Cook seems to have been the first to coin the term 'speciation' for the splitting of lineages or 'cladogenesis,' as opposed to 'anagenesis' or 'phyletic evolution' occurring within lineages...
has created the diversity of Malagasy lemurs seen today. The Ring-tailed Lemur itself is thought to share closer affinities than the rest of its subfamily,
LemurinaeLemurinae is a subfamily of Lemurs that include the lemurs which are most known to non-zoologists. The taxonomic rank includes the ruffed lemurs, the Ring-tailed lemur, and the Brown Lemur.-Classification:* Order Primates...
, to the
bamboo lemurThe bamboo or gentle lemurs are the lemurs in genus Hapalemur. They are medium sized primates that live exclusively on Madagascar...
s of the genus
Hapalemur, which may be a
sister groupCladistics is a form of biological systematics which classifies living organisms on the basis of shared ancestry...
of the family Lemuridae.
Taxonomic classification
The genus
Lemur contains only one species, the Ring-tailed Lemur.
- Family Lemuridae
Lemuridae is a family of prosimian primates native to Madagascar, and one of five families commonly known as lemurs. These animals were thought to be the evolutionary predecessors of monkeys and apes, but this is no longer considered correct...
- Subfamily Lemurinae
Lemurinae is a subfamily of Lemurs that include the lemurs which are most known to non-zoologists. The taxonomic rank includes the ruffed lemurs, the Ring-tailed lemur, and the Brown Lemur.-Classification:* Order Primates...
- Genus Lemur: the Ring-tailed Lemur
- Genus Eulemur: brown lemurs
- Genus Varecia
The ruffed lemurs of the genus Varecia are Strepsirhine primates and the largest extant lemurs within the family Lemuridae. Like all lemurs, they are found only on the island of Madagascar...
: ruffed lemurs
- Subfamily Hapalemurinae
Hapalemurinae is a subfamily of lemurs in the Cheirogaleidae family. It contains the bamboo lemurs and the Greater Bamboo Lemur.-Classification:* ORDER PRIMATES** Suborder Strepsirrhini: non-tarsier prosimians...
: bamboo lemurs
- Genus Hapalemur
The bamboo or gentle lemurs are the lemurs in genus Hapalemur. They are medium sized primates that live exclusively on Madagascar...
: lesser gentle or bamboo lemurs
- Genus Prolemur
The Greater Bamboo Lemur is a large, greyish brown lemur with white ear tufts. It feeds almost exclusively on Giant Bamboo, preferring the shoots but also eating the pith and leaves. It is not known how their metabolism deals with the cyanide found in the shoots; their typical daily dose would be...
: the Greater Bamboo Lemur
Changes in taxonomy
The Ring-tailed Lemur shares many similarities with the members of its subfamily, Lemurinae, and its skeleton is nearly indistinguishable from that of the brown lemurs. For these reasons, the Ring-tailed Lemur, brown lemurs and
ruffed lemurThe ruffed lemurs of the genus Varecia are Strepsirhine primates and the largest extant lemurs within the family Lemuridae. Like all lemurs, they are found only on the island of Madagascar...
s were once grouped together in the genus Lemur
. However, ruffed lemurs were reassigned to the genus Varecia
in 1962, and due to similarities between the Ring-tailed Lemur and the bamboo lemurs, particularly in regards to molecular evidence and scent glands similarities, the brown lemurs were moved to the genus Eulemur
in 1988. The genus Lemur is now
monotypicIn biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one type. The usage differs slightly between botany and zoology:In botany, a monotypic taxon is a taxon that has only one species: Ginkgo is a monotypic genus, while Ginkgoaceae is a monotypic family...
, containing only the Ring-tailed Lemur. Although not all authorities agree, the majority of the
primatological communityPrimatology is the study of primates. It is a diverse discipline and primatologists can be found in departments of biology, anthropology, psychology and many others. It is a branch of Physical anthropology, which, in itself, studies the genus Homo, especially Homo sapiens...
currently favors this classification.
Anatomy and physiology
An adult Ring-tailed Lemur may reach a body length between and a weight between . The species has a slender frame and narrow face, reminiscent of a
vulpineFox is a common name for many species of carnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail ....
muzzle. Like all lemurs, its hind limbs are longer than its forelimbs. Females have two pairs of
mammary glandMammary glands are the organs that, in mammals, produce milk for the sustenance of the young. These exocrine glands are enlarged and modified sweat glands and give mammals their name...
s, but only one pair is functional.
Furless
scent glandScent glands are found in the genital area of most mammals and in various other parts of the body, such as the underarms of humans and the preorbital glands of deer. They produce a semi-viscous fluid which contains pheromones. These odor-messengers indicate information such as status, territory...
s are present on both males and females. Both genders have
apocrineApocrine is a term used to classify exocrine glands in the study of histology. Cells which are classified as apocrine bud their secretions off through the plasma membrane producing membrane bound vesicles in the lumen.Examples of an apocrine gland include:...
and sebaceous glands in their genital regions, as well as
antebrachial glandScent glands are found in the genital area of most mammals and in various other parts of the body, such as the underarms of humans and the preorbital glands of deer. They produce a semi-viscous fluid which contains pheromones. These odor-messengers indicate information such as status, territory...
s located on the inner surface of the forearm in proximity of the wrist. However, only the male has a horny spur that overlays this scent gland. The males also have
brachial glandScent glands are found in the genital area of most mammals and in various other parts of the body, such as the underarms of humans and the preorbital glands of deer. They produce a semi-viscous fluid which contains pheromones. These odor-messengers indicate information such as status, territory...
s on the axillary surface of their shoulders.
The Ring-tailed Lemur's trademark, a long, bushy tail, is ringed in alternating black and white transverse stripes, numbering 13 to 15 each for both colors, and always ending in a black tip. Its tail is longer than its body, measuring up to in length. The tail is not
prehensileA prehensile tail is the tail of an animal that has adapted to be able to grasp and/or hold objects. Fully prehensile tails can be used to hold and manipulate objects, and in particular to aid arboreal creatures in finding and eating food in the trees...
and is only used for balance, communication, and group cohesion.
The pelage, or fur, is dense. The
ventralStandard anatomical terms of location are employed in science which deal with the anatomy of animals to avoid ambiguities which might otherwise arise. They are not language-specific, and thus require no translation...
(chest) coat and throat are white or cream, and the
dorsalStandard anatomical terms of location are employed in science which deal with the anatomy of animals to avoid ambiguities which might otherwise arise. They are not language-specific, and thus require no translation...
(back) coat is gray to rosy-brown. The crown is dark gray, while the ears and cheeks are white. The muzzle is dark grayish and the nose is black, and the eyes are encompassed by black
lozengeA lozenge , often referred to as a diamond, is a form of rhombus. The definition of lozenge is not strictly fixed, and it is sometimes used simply as a synonym for rhombus. Most often, though, lozenge refers to a thin rhombus—a rhombus with acute angles of 45°...
-shaped patches.
The black skin is visible on the nose, genitalia, and the palms and soles of the limbs. The Ring-tailed Lemur shares several adaptations with other lemurs. Its fingers are slender, padded, and semi-dexterous with flat, human-like nails. It grooms orally by licking and tooth-scraping with narrow, procumbent lower incisors and canines, called a
toothcombA toothcomb is an anatomical structure found in certain Strepsirhine primates, in particular those of the infraorder Lemuriformes, which includes the lemurs of Madagascar. A toothcomb consists of long, flat forward-angled teeth, including the two lower incisors and the canine teeth...
. Lastly, it has a
toilet-clawA toilet-claw is the specialized claw or nail on the foot of certain primates, used for personal grooming. All prosimians have a toilet claw, but the digit that is specialized in this manner varies. Tarsiers have a toilet claw on toe two and toe three...
(sometimes referred to as a grooming claw) on the second toe of each hind limb specialized for
personal grooming
Personal grooming is the art of cleaning, grooming, and maintaining parts of the body. In animals, it is a species-typical behavior that is controlled by neural circuits in the brain.- In humans :...
, specifically to rake through fur that is unreachable by the mouth and toothcomb.
The species' eyes can be a bright yellow or orange. Unlike most diurnal primates, but like all strepsirhine primates, the Ring-tailed Lemur has a
tapetum lucidumThe tapetum lucidum is a layer of tissue in the eye of many vertebrate animals, that lies immediately behind or sometimes within the retina. It reflects visible light back through the retina, increasing the light available to the photoreceptors...
, or reflective layer behind the
retinaThe vertebrate retina is a light sensitive tissue lining the inner surface of the eye. The optics of the eye create an image of the visual world on the retina, which serves much the same function as the film in a camera. Light striking the retina initiates a cascade of chemical and electrical...
of the eye, that enhances
night visionNight vision is the ability to see in a dark environment. Whether by biological or technological means, night vision is made possible by a combination of two approaches: sufficient spectral range, and sufficient intensity range...
.
Ecology
The Ring-tailed Lemur is diurnal and semi-terrestrial. It is the most terrestrial of lemur species, spending as much as 33% of its time on the ground. However it is still considerably arboreal, spending 23% of its time in the mid-level
canopyIn biology, the canopy is the aboveground portion of a plant community or crop, formed by plant crowns.For forests, canopy also refers to the upper layer or habitat zone, formed by mature tree crowns and including other biological organisms .Sometimes the term canopy is used to refer to the extent...
, 25% in the upper-level canopy, 6% in the emergent layer and 13% in small bushes. Troop travel is 70% terrestrial.
Troop size, home range, and population density vary by region and food availability. Troops typically range in size from 6 to 25, although troops with over 30 individuals have been recorded. The average troop contains 13 to 15 individuals. Home range sizes varies between . Troops of the Ring-tailed Lemur will maintain a territory, but overlap is often high. When encounters occur, they are
agonisticIn ethology, agonistic behaviour is any social behaviour related to fighting, such as aggressive or submissive behaviours. It explicitly includes behaviours such as subordinance, retreat and conciliation which are functionally and physiologically interrelated with aggressive behaviour, yet fall...
, or hostile in nature. A troop will usually occupy the same part of its range for three or four days before moving. When it does move, the average traveling distance is .
Population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans. It is a key term used in geography....
ranges from 100 individuals per in dry forests to 250–600 individuals per km
2 in
galleryGallery forests are evergreen forests that form as corridors along rivers or wetlands and project into landscapes that are otherwise only sparsely treed such as savannas, grasslands or deserts....
and secondary forests.
The Ring-tailed Lemur has both native and
introducedAn introduced, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its native distributional range, which has arrived there by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
predators. Native predators include the
FossaThe fossa is a mammal endemic to Madagascar. A member of family Eupleridae, it is closely related to the mongoose. It is the largest mammalian carnivore on the island of Madagascar...
(Cryptoprocta ferox
), the Madagascar Harrier-hawkThe Madagascar Harrier-hawk 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.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on...
(Polyboroides radiatus
), the Madagascar BuzzardThe 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.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 24...
(Buteo brachypterus
) and the Madagascar Ground Boa (Boa madagascariensis
). Introduced predators include the Small Indian CivetThe Small Indian Civet , is a species of civet found across south and south-east Asia as well as in the Indonesian archipelago.In India this civet is called Rasse....
(Viverricula indica), the Domestic Cat and the Domestic Dog.
Geographic range and habitat
Endemic to southern and southwestern
MadagascarMadagascar, or Republic of Madagascar , is an island nation in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa. The main island, also called Madagascar, is the fourth-largest island in the world, and is home to 5% of the world's plant and animal species, of which more than 80% are endemic to...
, the Ring-tailed Lemur ranges further into highland areas than other lemurs. It inhabits deciduous forests, dry scrub,
montaneIn biogeography, montane is the highland area located below the subalpine zone. Montane regions generally have cooler temperatures and often have higher rainfall than the adjacent lowland regions, and are frequently home to distinct communities of plants and animals.The term "montane" means "of the...
humid forests, and gallery forests (forests along riverbanks). It strongly favors gallery forests, but such forests have now been cleared from much of Madagascar in order to create pasture for livestock. Depending on location, temperatures within its geographic range can vary between and .
This species is found as far east as
TôlanaroTôlanaro or Tolagnaro is a city in Madagascar. It is the capital of the Anosy region, of the Tôlanaro district, and is in the former Toliara Province. It has a port of local importance, and currently a new port is being built in Ehoala...
, north to Belo sur Tsiribihina, along the west coast and inland towards the mountains of
AndringitraAndringitra National Park is National Park in the Fianarantsoa Province of Madagascar, 47 km south of Ambalavao. Approximately 140km of the Tropic of Capricorn crosses the park....
on the southeastern plateau. It can be seen in the
Berenty ReserveBerenty Reserve is a small private reserve of gallery forest along the Mandrake river, set in the semi-arid spiny forest ecoregion of the far south of Madagascar. For some years Primatologist Alison Jolly and student volunteers have visited Berenty to conduct fieldwork on Lemurs...
,
Andohahela National ParkAndohahela National Park, in southeast Madagascar, is remarkable for the extremes of habitats that are representened within it. The park covers 760 square kilometers of the Anosy mountain range, the southernmost spur of the Malagasy Highlands...
,
Isalo National ParkIsalo National Park is a National Park in the Toliara Province of Madagascar. The park is known for its wide variety of terrain, including sandstone formations, deep canyons, palm-lined oases, and grassland. The closest town is Ranohira, and the closest city is Toliara. A local guide is required...
and
Zombitse-Vohibasia National ParkZombitse-Vohibasia National Park is a national Park of Madagascar....
.
Sympatric relations
The following lemur species are
sympatricIn evolutionary biology and biogeography, sympatric and sympatry are terms referring to organisms whose ranges overlap or are even identical, so that they occur together at least in some places. If these organisms are closely related , such a distribution may be the result of sympatric speciation...
with the Ring-tailed Lemur, meaning they are related species found within its geographic range:
- Verreaux's Sifaka
Verreaux's Sifaka is a medium sized primate in one of the lemur families, Indriidae. It lives in Madagascar and can be found in a variety of habitats from rainforest to western Madagascar dry deciduous forests and dry and spiny forests. The fur is thick and silky and generally white with brown on...
(Propithecus verreauxi)
- Red-tailed Sportive Lemur
The Red-tailed Sportive Lemur is, like all lemurs, native to Madagascar. It is a nocturnal species feeding largely on leaves, though they also eat some fruit. Individuals weigh around 800 grams, and there is little sexual dimorphism. In general they live in mated pairs, with a home range of...
(Lepilemur ruficaudatus)
- White-footed Sportive Lemur
The White-footed Sportive Lemur is a species of lemur in the Lepilemuridae family. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland. It is threatened by habitat loss....
(Lepilemur leucopus)
- Red-fronted Brown Lemur (Eulemur rufus)
- Greater Dwarf Lemur
The Greater Dwarf Lemur is a lemur that is widely distributed over the primary and secondary forests near the eastern coast of MadagascarIts fur is grey or reddish brown, and there are dark circles around the eyes...
(Cheirogaleus major)
- Fat-tailed Dwarf Lemur (Cheirogaleus medius)
- Aye-aye
The Aye-aye is a lemur, a strepsirrhine primate native to Madagascar that combines rodent-like teeth with a long, thin middle finger to fill the same ecological niche as a woodpecker...
(Daubentonia madagascariensis)
- Eastern Lesser Bamboo Lemur (Hapalemur griseus)
In Western Madagascar, sympatric Ring-tailed Lemurs and Red-fronted Brown Lemurs have been studied together. Little interaction takes place between the two species. The Ring-tailed Lemur spends more time on the ground than the Red-fronted Brown Lemur. While the diets of the two species overlap, they eat in different proportions since the Ring-tailed Lemur has a more varied diet.
Diet
The Ring-tailed Lemur is an opportunistic
omnivoreOmnivores are species that eat both plants and animals as their primary food source...
primarily eating fruits and leaves, particularly those of the
tamarind tree (Tamarindus indica)The Tamarind is a tree in the family Fabaceae. The genus Tamarindus is monotypic .- Origin :...
, known natively as kily. When available, tamarind makes up as much as 50% of the diet, especially during the dry, winter season. The Ring-tailed Lemur eats from as many as three dozen different plant species, and its diet includes flowers, herbs, bark and sap. It has been observed eating decayed wood,
earthGeophagy is the practice of eating earthy or soil-like substances such as clay, and chalk, in order to obtain essential nutrients such as sulfur and phosphorus from the soil. This practice is widespread among animals in the wild, as well as in human societies...
, spider webs, insect cocoons,
arthropodAn arthropod is an invertebrate that has an exoskeleton , a segmented body, and jointed attachments called appendages. Arthropods are animals belonging to the Phylum Arthropoda , and include the insects, arachnids, crustaceans, and others...
s (spiders, caterpillars, cicadas and grasshoppers) and small
vertebrateVertebrates are members of the subphylum Vertebrata, chordates with backbones or spinal columns. About 58,000 species of vertebrates have been described. Vertebrata is the largest subphylum of chordates, and contains many familiar groups of large land animals. Vertebrates comprise cyclostomes, bony...
s (birds and chameleons). During the dry season it becomes increasingly opportunistic.
Social systems
Troops are classified as multi-male/multi-female, with a matriline as the core group. As with most lemurs, females socially dominate males in all circumstances, including feeding priority. Dominance is enforced by lunging, chasing, cuffing, grabbing and biting. Young females do not inherit their mother's rank and young males leave the troop between three and five years of age. Both sexes have separate dominance hierarchies; females have a distinct hierarchy while male rank is correlated with age. Each troop has one to three central, high-ranking adult males who interact with females more than other group males and lead the troop procession with high-ranking females. Recently transferred males, old males or young adult males that have not yet left their natal group are often lower ranking. Staying at the periphery of the group they tend to be marginalized from group activity.
For males, social structure changes can be seasonal. During the six month period between December and May a few males immigrate between groups. Established males transfer every 3.5 years, although young males may transfer every 1.4 years. Group fission occurs when groups get too large and resources become scarce.
In the mornings the Ring-tailed Lemur sunbathes to warm itself. It faces the sun sitting in what is frequently described as a "sun-worshipping" posture or
Lotus positionThe lotus position is a cross-legged sitting posture originating in meditative practices of ancient India, in which the feet are placed on the opposing thighs. It is an established posture of the Hindu Yoga tradition...
. However, it sits with its legs extended outward, not cross-legged, and will often support itself on nearby branches. Sunning is often a group activity, particularly during the cold mornings. At night, troops will split into sleeping parties huddling closely together to keep warm. A group of huddled Ring-tailed Lemurs is referred to as a lemur ball
.
Despite being quadrupedQuadrupedalism is a form of land animal locomotion using four limbs or legs. An animal or machine that usually moves in a quadrupedal manner is known as a quadruped, meaning "four feet"...
al the Ring-tailed Lemur can rear up and balance on its hind legs, usually for aggressive displays. When threatened the Ring-tailed Lemur may jump in the air and strike out with its short nails and sharp upper canine teethIn mammalian oral anatomy, the canine teeth, also called cuspids, dogteeth, fangs, or eye teeth, are relatively long, pointed teeth...
in a behaviour termed jump fighting
. This is extremely rare outside of the breeding season when tensions are high and competition for mates is intense. Other aggressive behaviours include a threat-stare
, used to intimidate or start a fight, and a submissive gesture known as pulled-back lips.
Border disputes with rival troops occur occasionally and it is the dominant female's responsibility to defend the troop's home range. Agonistic encounters include staring, lunging approaches and occasional physical aggression, and conclude with troop members retreating toward the center of the home range.
Olfactory communication
OlfactoryOlfaction refers to the sense of smell. This sense is mediated by specialized sensory cells of the nasal cavity of vertebrates, and, by analogy, sensory cells of the antennae of invertebrates...
communication is critically important for
prosimianProsimians are suborders and families of mammals that are defined by being primates that are not monkeys or apes. They include, among others, lemurs, the Aye-aye, bushbabies, and tarsiers. They are considered to have characteristics that are more primitive than those of monkeys and apes. Prosimians...
s like the Ring-tailed Lemur. Males and females
scent markSpraying is behavior used by animals to identify their territory. Most commonly, this is scent marking, accomplished by depositing strong-smelling chemicals such as urine at prominent locations within the territory. Not only does the marking communicate to others of the same species, but it is...
both vertical and horizontal surfaces at the overlaps in their home ranges using their
anogenital scent glandScent glands are found in the genital area of most mammals and in various other parts of the body, such as the underarms of humans and the preorbital glands of deer. They produce a semi-viscous fluid which contains pheromones. These odor-messengers indicate information such as status, territory...
s. The Ring-tailed Lemur will perform a handstand to mark vertical surfaces, grasping the highest point with its feet while it applies its scent. Use of scent marking varies by age, sex and social status. Male lemurs use their antebrachial and brachial glands to demarcate territories and maintain intragroup dominance hierarchies. The thorny spur that overlays the antebrachial gland on each wrist is scraped against tree trunks to create grooves anointed with their scent. This is known as spur-marking
.
In displays of aggression, males engage in a social display behaviour called stink fighting, which involves impregnating their tails with secretions from the antebrachial and brachial glands and waving the scented tail at male rivals. During the mating season, males wave their scented tails at females as a form of sexual overture; this usually results in the female cuffing or biting the male and elicits subordinate vocalizations from the would-be paramour.
Auditory communication
The Ring-tailed Lemur is one of the most vocal primates and has a complex array of distinct
vocalizationsAnimal communication is any behavior on the part of one animal that has an effect on the current or future behaviour of another animal. The study of animal communication, sometimes called spencerology has played an important part in the methodology of ethology, sociobiology, and the study of animal...
used to maintain group cohesion during foraging and alert group members to the presence of a predator. Calls range from simple to complex. An example of a simple call is the purr , which expresses contentment. A complex call is the sequence of clicks, close-mouth click series (CMCS), open-mouth click series (OMCS) and yaps used during predator mobbing. Some calls have variants and undergo transitions between variants, such as an infant "whit" (distress call) transitioning from one variant to another .
The most commonly heard vocalizations are the moan (low-to-moderate arousal, group cohesion), early-high wail (moderate-to-high arousal, group cohesion), and clicks ("location marker" to draw attention).
Breeding and reproduction
The Ring-tailed Lemur is
polygynousPolygyny is a form of marriage in which a man has two or more wives at the same time." It is distinguished from a relationship where a man who has a sexual partner outside marriage, such as a concubine, casual sexual partner, paramour, or other culturally recognized secondary partner...
, although the dominant male in the troop typically breeds with more females than other males. Fighting is most common during the breeding season. A receptive female may initiate mating by presenting her backside, lifting her tail and looking at the desired male over her shoulder. Males may inspect the female's genitals to determine receptiveness. Females typically mate within their troop, but may seek outside males.
The breeding season runs from mid-April to mid-May. Estrus lasts 4 to 6 hours, and females mate with multiple males during this period. Within a troop, females stagger their receptivity so that each female comes into season on a different day during the breeding season, reducing competition for male attention.
GestationGestation is the carrying of an embryo or fetus inside a female viviparous animal. Mammals duringpregnancy can have one or more gestations at the same time ....
lasts for about 135 days, and
parturitionChildbirth is the culmination of a human pregnancy or gestation period with birth of one or more newborn infants from a woman's uterus...
occurs in September or occasionally October. In the wild one offspring is the norm, although twins may occur. Ring-tailed Lemur infants have a birth weight of and are carried ventrally (on the chest) for the first 1 to 2 weeks, then dorsally (on the back).
The young lemurs begin to eat solid food after two months and are fully weaned after five months. Sexual maturity is reached between 2.5 and 3 years. Male involvement in infant rearing is limited, although the entire troop, regardless of age or sex, can be seen caring for the young.
AlloparentingIn biology and sociology, alloparenting is where individuals other than the actual parents act in a parental role.One common form of alloparenting is where grandparents adopt a parental role. This is sometimes named a "skipped generation household"...
between troop females has been reported. Kidnapping by females and
infanticideInfanticide is the practice of someone intentionally killing an infant. Often it is the mother who commits the act, but criminology recognizes various forms of non-maternal child murder. In many past societies, certain forms of infanticide were considered permissible...
by males also occur occasionally. Due to harsh environmental conditions, predation and accidents such as falls infant mortality can be as high as 50% within the first year and as few as 30% may reach adulthood. The Ring-tailed Lemur can go on to live 16 to 19 years (27 years in captivity).
Cognitive abilities and tool use
Historically, the studies of
learningLearning is acquiring new knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, preferences or understanding, and may involve synthesizing different types of information. The ability to learn is possessed by humans, animals and some machines. Progress over time tends to follow learning curves.Human learning may...
and
cognitionCognition is the scientific term for "the process of thought". Usage of the term varies in different disciplines; for example in psychology and cognitive science, it usually refers to an information processing view of an individual's psychological functions...
in non-human primates have focused on
simianThe simians are the "higher primates" familiar to most people: the Old World monkeys and apes, including humans, , and the New World monkeys or platyrrhines. Simians tend to be larger than the "lower primates" or prosimians.- Classification and evolution :The simians are split into three groups...
s (monkeys and apes), while strepsirrhine primates, such as the Ring-tailed Lemur and its allies, have been overlooked and popularly dismissed as unintelligent. A couple of factors stemming from early experiments have played a role in the development of this assumption. First, the
experimental designDesign of experiments, or experimental design, is the design of all information-gathering exercises where variation is present, whether under the full control of the experimenter or not...
of older tests may have favored the natural behavior and ecology of simians over that of strepsirrhines, making the experimental tasks inappropriate for lemurs. For example, simians are known for their manipulative play with non-food objects, whereas lemurs are only known to manipulate non-food objects in captivity. This behaviour is usually connected with food association. Also, lemurs are known to displace objects with their nose or mouth more so than with their hands. Therefore, an experiment requiring a lemur to manipulate an object without prior training would favor simians over strepsirrhines. Second, individual Ring-tailed Lemurs accustomed to living in a troop may not respond well to isolation for laboratory testing. Past studies have reported hysterical behaviour in such scenarios. As a result of these early studies lemurs were often omitted from further research.
The notion that lemurs are unintelligent has been perpetuated by the view that the neocortex ratio (as a measure of brain size) indicates intelligence. In fact,
primatologistPrimatology is the study of primates. It is a diverse discipline and primatologists can be found in departments of biology, anthropology, psychology and many others. It is a branch of Physical anthropology, which, in itself, studies the genus Homo, especially Homo sapiens...
Alison JollyAlison Jolly is a primatologist, known for her studies of lemur biology. She has written several books for both popular and scientific audiences and conducted extensive fieldwork on Lemurs in Madagascar, primarily at the Berenty Reserve, a small private reserve of gallery forest set in the...
noted early in her academic career that some lemur species, such as the Ring-tailed Lemur, have evolved a social complexity similar to that of
cercopithecineThe Cercopithecinae are a subfamily of the Old World monkeys, that includes in its roughly 71 species the baboons, the macaques and the vervet monkeys...
monkeys, but not the corresponding intelligence. After years of observations of wild Ring-tailed Lemur populations at the
Berenty ReserveBerenty Reserve is a small private reserve of gallery forest along the Mandrake river, set in the semi-arid spiny forest ecoregion of the far south of Madagascar. For some years Primatologist Alison Jolly and student volunteers have visited Berenty to conduct fieldwork on Lemurs...
in Madagascar and as well as baboons in Africa, she more recently concluded that this highly social lemur species does not demonstrate the equivalent social complexity of cercopithecine monkeys, despite general appearances.
Regardless, research has continued to illuminate the complexity of the lemur mind, with emphasis on the cognitive abilities of the Ring-tailed Lemur. As early as the mid-1970s, studies had demonstrated that they could be trained through
operant conditioningOperant conditioning is the use of consequences to modify the occurrence and form of behavior. Operant conditioning is distinguished from classical conditioning in that operant conditioning deals with the modification of "voluntary behavior" or operant behavior...
using standard schedules of reinforcement. The species has been shown to be capable of learning pattern, brightness and object discrimination, skills common among
vertebrateVertebrates are members of the subphylum Vertebrata, chordates with backbones or spinal columns. About 58,000 species of vertebrates have been described. Vertebrata is the largest subphylum of chordates, and contains many familiar groups of large land animals. Vertebrates comprise cyclostomes, bony...
s. The Ring-tailed Lemur has also been shown to learn a variety of complex tasks often equaling, if not exceeding, the performance of simians.
More recently, research at the
Duke Lemur CenterIn 1966, a prosimian colony of approximately 90 individuals was relocated from the Center for Prosimian Biology at Yale University to Duke University, and thus began the Duke Lemur Center . Through the 1970s the colony grew to approximately 700 individuals representing 33 species. The current...
has shown that the Ring-tailed Lemur can organize sequences in memory and retrieve ordered sequences without language. The experimental design demonstrated that the lemurs were using internal representation of the sequence to guide their responses and not simply following a trained sequence, where one item in the sequence cues the selection of the next. But this is not the limit of the Ring-tailed Lemur's reasoning skills. Another study, performed at the Myakka City Lemur Reserve, suggests that this species along with several other closely related lemur species understand simple arithmetic operations.
Since tool use is considered to be a key feature of primate intelligence, the apparent lack of this behavior in wild lemurs, as well as the lack of non-food object play, has helped reinforce the perception that lemurs are less intelligent than their simian cousins. However, another study at the Myakka City Lemur Reserve examined the representation of tool functionality in both the Ring-tailed Lemur and the
Common Brown LemurThe Common Brown Lemur is a species of lemur in the Lemuridae family. It is found in Madagascar and Mayotte.-Range:...
and discovered that, like monkeys, they utilized tools with functional properties (e.g., tool orientation or ease of use) instead of tools with nonfunctional features (e.g., color or texture). Although the Ring-tailed Lemur may not use tools in the wild, it can not only be trained to use a tool, but will preferentially select tools based on their functional qualities. Therefore, the conceptual competence to utilize a tool may have been present in the common primate ancestor, even though the use of tools may not have appeared until much later.
Conservation status
In addition to being listed as Near Threatened in 2008 by the IUCN, the Ring-tailed Lemur has been listed since 1977 by CITES under Appendix I, which makes trade of wild-caught specimens illegal. Although there are more endangered species of lemur, the Ring-tailed Lemur is considered a
flagship speciesA flagship species is a species chosen to represent an environmental cause, such as an ecosystem in need of conservation. These species are chosen for their vulnerability, attractiveness or distinctiveness in order to engender support and acknowledgment from the public at large...
due to its recognizability.
Three factors threaten Ring-tailed Lemurs. First and foremost is
habitat destructionHabitat destruction is the process in which natural habitat is rendered functionally unable to support the species present. In this process, the organisms which previously used the site are displaced or destroyed, reducing biodiversity. Habitat destruction by human activity mainly for the purpose...
. Starting nearly 2,000 years ago with the introduction of humans to the island, forests have been cleared to produce pasture and agricultural land. Extraction of hardwoods for fuel and lumber, as well mining and
overgrazingOvergrazing occurs when plants are exposed to intensive grazing for extended periods of time, or without sufficient recovery periods. It can be caused by either livestock in poorly managed agricultural applications, or by overpopulations of native or non-native wild animals...
, have also taken their toll. Today, it is estimated that 90% of Madagascar's original forest cover has been lost. Rising populations have created even greater demand in the southwest portion of the island for fuel wood,
charcoalCharcoal is the blackish residue consisting of impure carbon obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from animal and vegetation substances. Charcoal is usually produced by slow pyrolysis, the heating of wood, sugar, bone char, or other substances in the absence of oxygen...
, and lumber. Fires from the clearing of grasslands, as well as slash-and-burn agriculture destroy forests. Another threat to the species is harvesting either for food (bush meat) or
petAn exotic pet is a rare or unusual animal kept as a pet, or an animal kept as a pet which is not commonly thought of as a pet.The definition is an evolving one; some rodents, reptiles, and amphibians have become firmly enough established in the world of animal fancy to no longer be considered exotic...
s. Finally, periodic drought common to southern Madagascar can impact populations already in decline. In 1991 and 1992, for example, a severe drought caused an abnormally high morality rate among infants and females at the
Beza Mahafaly Special ReserveThe Beza Mahafaly Reserve is a nature reserve in Madagascar located northeast of Betioky Sud. The Reserve also provides training and research opportunities. It consists of a fenced gallery forest, approximately , separated by from a gallery of arid spiny forest...
. Two years later, the population had declined by 31% and took nearly four years to start to recover.
The Ring-tailed Lemur resides in several protected areas within its range, each offering varying levels of protection. At the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve, a holistic approach to
in situIn situ is a Latin phrase meaning in the place. It is used in many different contexts.-Aerospace:In the aerospace industry, equipment on board aircraft must be tested in situ, or in place, to confirm everything functions properly as a system. Individually, each piece may work but interference from...
conservation has been taken. Not only does field research and resource management involve international students and local people (including school children), livestock management is used at the peripheral zones of the reserve and
ecotourismEcotourism is travel to fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas that strives to be low impact and small scale. It helps educate the traveler; provides funds for conservation; directly benefits the economic development and political empowerment of local communities; and fosters respect for...
benefits the local people.
Outside of its diminishing habitat and other threats, the Ring-tailed Lemur reproduces readily and has fared well in captivity. For this reason, along with its popularity, it has become the most populous lemur in
zooA zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
s worldwide, with more than 2000 in captivity. Ex situ facilities actively involved in the conservation of the Ring-tailed Lemur include the
Duke Lemur CenterIn 1966, a prosimian colony of approximately 90 individuals was relocated from the Center for Prosimian Biology at Yale University to Duke University, and thus began the Duke Lemur Center . Through the 1970s the colony grew to approximately 700 individuals representing 33 species. The current...
in Durham, NC, the
Lemur Conservation FoundationThe Lemur Conservation Foundation is a small American non-profit organization that works closely with the Duke Lemur Center, LCF Scientific Advisory Council , the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Prosimian Taxon Advisory Group , and the Species Survival Plan coordinators...
in Myakka City, FL and the
Madagascar Fauna GroupThe Madagascar Fauna Group or MFG is an international consortium of zoos and other conservation agencies which pool together resources to help conserve animal species in Madagascar, through captive breeding programs, field research programs, training programs for rangers and wardens, and...
headquartered at the Saint Louis Zoo. Due to the high success of captive breeding, reintroduction is a possibility if wild populations were to crash. Although experimental releases have met success on
St. Catherines IslandSt. Catherines Island, also known as Santa Catalina, is one of the Sea Islands or Golden Isles on the coast of the U.S. state of Georgia, 50 miles south of Savannah in Liberty County. The island is ten miles long and from one to three miles wide, located between St. Catherine's Sound and Sapelo...
in Georgia, demonstrating that captive lemurs can readily adapt to their environment and exhibit a full range of natural behaviors, captive release is not currently being considered.
Ring-tailed Lemur populations can also benefit from drought intervention, due to the availability of watering troughs and introduced fruit trees, as seen at the
Berenty Private ReserveBerenty Reserve is a small private reserve of gallery forest along the Mandrake river, set in the semi-arid spiny forest ecoregion of the far south of Madagascar. For some years Primatologist Alison Jolly and student volunteers have visited Berenty to conduct fieldwork on Lemurs...
in southern Madagascar. However, these interventions are not always seen favorably, since natural population fluctuations are not permitted. The species is thought to have evolved its high
fecundityFecundity, derived from the word fecund, generally refers to the ability to reproduce. In biology and demography, fecundity is the potential reproductive capacity of an organism or population, measured by the number of gametes , seed set or asexual propagules. Fecundity is under both genetic and...
due to its harsh environment; therefore, interfering with this natural cycle could significantly impact the gene pool.
Cultural references
The Ring-tailed Lemur, known locally as Hira
(Malagasy) or Maki
(French, Malagasy), has been popularized in Western cultureWestern culture refers to cultures of European origin.The term "Western culture" is used very broadly to refer to a heritage of social norms, ethical values, traditional customs, religious beliefs, political systems, and specific artifacts and technologies...
by the Animal PlanetAnimal Planet is an American satellite and cable television channel , that launched on October 1, 1996. It is distributed by Discovery Communications...
television series Lemur KingdomLemur Street is a British television show produced by Oxford Scientific Films for Animal Planet International that is based on the successful format of Meerkat Manor. The series premiered in the United Kingdom on November 20, 2007 on the UK Animal Planet network with Martin Shaw narrating.On...
(United States) and Lemur StreetLemur Street is a British television show produced by Oxford Scientific Films for Animal Planet International that is based on the successful format of Meerkat Manor. The series premiered in the United Kingdom on November 20, 2007 on the UK Animal Planet network with Martin Shaw narrating.On...
(United Kingdom), as well as by the character King Julien in the animated MadagascarMadagascar is a 2005 computer-animated film produced by DreamWorks Animation, and released in movie theaters on May 27, 2005. The film tells the story of four Central Park Zoo animals who have spent their lives in blissful captivity and are unexpectedly shipped back to Africa, getting shipwrecked...
film series and spin-off TV seriesThe Penguins of Madagascar is an American CGI animated television series airing on Nickelodeon, starring the penguins from the 2005 film, Madagascar, which the TV series is based on...
. Lemur Street
depicts real events in the lives of wild Ring-tailed Lemurs, whereas the Madagascar
films and spin-off series depict anthropomorphic representations, such as lemurs talking, singing, and dancing. The Ring-tailed Lemur was also the focus of the 1996 NatureNature is a long-running wildlife television program produced by Thirteen/WNET New York. It has been distributed to United States public television stations by the PBS television service since its debut on October 10, 1982. Some episodes may appear in syndication on many PBS member stations around...
documentary A Lemur's Tale
, which was filmed at the Berenty Reserve and followed a troop of lemurs. The troop included a unique infant named Sapphire, who was nearly albino, with white fur, sparkling blue eyes, and the characteristic ringed tail.
This species also played a role in the 1997 comedy film Fierce CreaturesFierce Creatures is a 1997 comedy film. Although not a sequel, it was a follow-up to the wildly popular A Fish Called Wanda, starring the same four actors, John Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline and Michael Palin...
, starring John CleeseJohn Marwood Cleese is an Academy Award-nominated English actor, comedian, writer, and film producer who is known for being a member of the group of comedians responsible for the sketch show Monty Python's Flying Circus and the four Monty Python films: And Now for Something Completely Different,...
, who has a passion for lemurs. In fact, John Cleese also hosted the 1998 BBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation, usually referred to by its abbreviation as the "BBC", is the longest established and largest broadcaster in the world...
documentary In the Wild: Operation Lemur with John Cleese
.
External links
(Lemur catta)
Primate Info Net Lemur catta
Factsheet
Duke Lemur Center: Ring-tailed Lemurs
Lemur Conservation Foundation
Madagascar Fauna Group (MFG)
Animal Planet: Lemur Kingdom
Nature: A Lemur's Tale
PBS: In the Wild: Operation Lemur with John Cleese
New York Academy of Sciences Podcast