Sambirano Mouse Lemur
Encyclopedia
The Sambirano mouse lemur (Microcebus sambiranensis) is a small, recently discovered primate
, and like the other mouse lemur
s can only be found on the island of Madagascar
. The dorsal side is both cinnamon and rufous-cinnamon, and is grey ventrally. It has vibrissae
that are dark in color.
The species was discovered in northwestern Madagascar, in the Ankarana Special Reserve
, after completing a survey of the area. It was named as a separate species at the same time as the Madame Berthe's mouse lemur
(Microcebus berthae) and northern rufous mouse lemur
(Microcebus tavaratra).
Primate
A primate is a mammal of the order Primates , which contains prosimians and simians. Primates arose from ancestors that lived in the trees of tropical forests; many primate characteristics represent adaptations to life in this challenging three-dimensional environment...
, and like the other mouse lemur
Mouse lemur
The mouse lemurs are nocturnal lemurs of the genus Microcebus. Like all lemurs, mouse lemurs are native to Madagascar.Mouse lemurs have a combined head, body and tail length of less than , making them the smallest primates ; however, their weight fluctuates in response to daylight duration.Mouse...
s can only be found on the island of Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
. The dorsal side is both cinnamon and rufous-cinnamon, and is grey ventrally. It has vibrissae
Vibrissae
Vibrissae , or whiskers, are specialized hairs usually employed for tactile sensation. The term may also refer to the thick hairs found inside human nostrils, but these have no sensorial function and only operate as an airborne particulate barrier...
that are dark in color.
The species was discovered in northwestern Madagascar, in the Ankarana Special Reserve
Ankarana Reserve
Ankarana Reserve is a small, partially vegetated plateau in northern Madagascar composed of 150-million-year-old middle Jurassic limestone. With an average annual rainfall of about , the underlying rocks are susceptible to erosion, thereby producing caves and underground rivers—a karst topography...
, after completing a survey of the area. It was named as a separate species at the same time as the Madame Berthe's mouse lemur
Madame Berthe's Mouse Lemur
Madame Berthe's mouse lemur 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) and northern rufous mouse lemur
Northern Rufous Mouse Lemur
The northern rufous mouse lemur , northern brown mouse lemur, or Tavaratra mouse lemur is found in North-western Madagascar in Ankarana Reserve....
(Microcebus tavaratra).