Small-toothed Sportive Lemur
Encyclopedia
The small-toothed sportive lemur (Lepilemur microdon), or small-toothed weasel lemur, is a primate
species in the family
Lepilemuridae that—like all lemur
s—is endemic to Madagascar
. The species lives in dense rainforest
in southeastern Madagascar, and can be found in Ranomafana
and Andringitra National Park
s. Described in 1894, it was considered either a subspecies
or taxonomic synonym
of the weasel sportive lemur (Lepilemur mustelinus) throughout most of the 20th century. Phylogenetic studies
not only support its species status, but also suggest that it is the only eastern Malagasy sportive lemur that is more closely related to western than to other eastern species.
According to the original description, some of its teeth are smaller than those in other sportive lemur
s. It is relatively large for a sportive lemur, and is difficult to visually distinguish from the weasel sportive lemur. The species weighs between 0.9 and 1.2 kg (2 and 2.6 lb) and measures 55 to 64 cm (21.7 to 25.2 in) from head to tail. Its fur is mostly reddish-brown or chestnut color, with a dark stripe running from its head down its back. Its underside and neck are lighter in color. Like other sportive lemurs, it is nocturnal, sleeping in concealed tangles of vegetation as well as tree holes. The small-toothed sportive lemur is solitary and eats leaves, fruits, and flowers.
Due to recent taxonomic changes and a lack of clarity about its population size and range, it is listed as "Data Deficient
" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It is also protected from international commercial trade under CITES Appendix I. Its primary threats are habitat loss to slash and burn
agriculture and hunting.
genus (Lepilemur), was first described in 1894 by Charles Immanuel Forsyth Major
, based on a specimen found in the Ankafana Forest in the eastern districts of the former Betsileo province
in central Madagascar
. Although Forsyth Major did not explicitly state the origins of either the scientific name
or the vernacular name
, he did note that it had smaller molar teeth
relative to other sportive lemur
s. The species name microdon is derived from the Ancient Greek micro-, meaning "small" and -odon, meaning "tooth."
Until the 1990s, there was some dispute over the taxonomic status
of the species. For much of the 20th century, the small-toothed sportive lemur was considered a subspecies of the weasel sportive lemur (Lepilemur mustelinus). In his book The Primates of Madagascar from 1982, primatologist Ian Tattersall
deviated from the traditional view by considering L. microdon a synonym
of the weasel sportive lemur, while also recognizing only a single species of sportive lemur. Tattersall based his decision on what he considered to be a lack of detailed anatomical studies and field surveys, while also factoring in the difficulty in observing the animals in the wild, the presence of only subtle variations among museum specimens, and his own unwillingness to consider differences in karyotype
s as grounds for defining distinct species. However, primatologist Russell Mittermeier
, et al. in Lemurs of Madagascar
(1994), taxonomist Colin Groves
in Mammal Species of the World
(2005), and others favored recognizing the small-toothed sportive lemur as a species while also recognizing a total of seven sportive lemur species.
A cytogenetic
(chromosome
) study by Nicole Andriaholinirina, et al. published in 2005 added strong support to the species status of the small-toothed sportive lemur by demonstrating that its karyotype was distinct from all other sport lemur species. The species has 24 chromosomes (2n=24); the autosomal pairs
(not sex chromosomes) include eight that are meta- or submetacentric
(where chromosome arms are equal or unequal in length, respectively) and three smaller acrocentric
pairs (with the shorter chromosome arm difficult to observe). Both the X
and Y chromosome
s are acrocentric. The study also showed that the small-toothed sportive lemur was the sportive lemur species most genetically distinct from the weasel sportive lemur, despite their similar appearance. A total of 18 chromosomal rearrangements
distinguished the two species, indicating that if the two shared the same range, hybrids would be either completely sterile
or suffer greatly reduced fertility.
In September 2006, Edward E. Louis, Jr., et al. announced the discovery of 11 new species of sportive lemur based on mitochondrial DNA
(mtDNA) data. Each new species resulted from the splitting of existing species. In the case of the small-toothed sportive lemur, the population at Kalambatritra Reserve
became known as Wright's sportive lemur
(Lepilemur wrightae), the population as Andohahela National Park
became Fleurete's sportive lemur
(L. fleuretae), the population in Fandriana
became Betsileo sportive lemur
(L. betsileo), and the population at Manombo Reserve
became James' sportive lemur
(L. jamesorum). The small-toothed sportive lemur remains a distinct species, while even more species have since been described, though none within its range.
Between 2006 and 2009, three studies were published to resolve the phylogenetic
relationships between the sportive lemurs. Cytogenetic and molecular
studies in 2006 and 2008 concluded that the small-toothed sportive lemur is most closely related to the Milne-Edwards' sportive lemur
(Lepilemur edwardsi). In 2009, a study examined every known species, including the species most recently described, using two pieces of mtDNA: the D-loop
and an array of genes known as the PAST fragment. The resulting data placed the sportive lemurs into four groups: Section A from northern and northwestern Madagascar, section B from northwestern Madagascar, section C from west central and southern Madagascar, and section D from eastern Madagascar. Only the small-toothed sportive lemur generated conflicting results when comparing the results between the mtDNA and D-loop data. The PAST data placed it in section B, while the D-loop data placed it in section C. The relationship between the small-toothed sportive lemur, an eastern Malagasy species, and a group of species from the west coast of Madagascar suggests that the ancestral population of the small-toothed sportive lemur dispersed
to its current range from western Madagascar using river corridors. However, the conflicting data about the relationship of the small-toothed sportive lemur to either section B or section C render the precise dispersal route uncertain.
Like all sportive lemurs, they can easily be confused with woolly lemur
s (genus Avahi), and sometimes with the much smaller dwarf lemur
s (genus Cheirogaleus). Unlike the woolly lemurs, sportive lemurs have prominent ears, and they lack the white patches usually found on the thighs of woolly lemurs. All sportive lemurs have long legs compared to their arms and trunk and the face is covered with short hairs.
According to a review by Henry Ogg Forbes
in 1894, the species differs from other sportive lemurs—as its name suggests—by having significantly smaller molar
teeth. Forbes also claimed that compared with the weasel sportive lemur, its bony palate
is longer and it has a depression at the base of the nasal (nose) region. Like other sportive lemurs, the cecum
(beginning of the large intestine) is enlarged, presumably to handle its leaf-rich diet, which is more characteristic of larger primates.
southwest to Andringitra National Park
. The Namorona River acts as the northern border of its range, and the Manampatrana River may act as a southern border, where the species seems to be replaced by the James' sportive lemur. Further studies are needed to clarify its range and relationship with other sportive lemurs in southeastern Madagascar. The species inhabits dense rainforest
.
A preliminary study at Ranomafana National Park in 1995 indicated the small-toothed sportive lemur may avoid competing with woolly lemurs for food (interspecific competition
) by living in more disturbed areas of the park. Woolly lemur population density (and thus competition for food) appeared to affect the species distribution more than the availability of sleep sites.
, and its low activity rate.
In general, predators of sportive lemurs include diurnal birds of prey and carnivores, such as the fossa
. The only recorded instance of predation on the small-toothed sportive lemur was by a Henst's goshawk
(Accipiter henstii).
the species as "Lower Risk
", first in 1996 under the sub-classification "least concern", and then in 2000 under the sub-classification "near threatened". Prior to the taxonomic changes that resulted in many new species of sportive lemur, the small-toothed sportive lemur was considered to have a widespread distribution, but its range is now thought to be more restricted. During its 2008 assessment, its population size, geographic range, and other factors were unclear, resulting in the classification "Data Deficient
". Given the known threats the species faces, and as its distribution becomes better known, the IUCN states that the species may merit "Threatened" status in the future.
Like many species of lemur, it is threatened with habitat loss from slash and burn
agriculture and by increasing hunting pressure. It is hunted with spears and is also captured when trees with sleeping holes are cut down. The small-toothed sportive lemur is known to occur in both Ranomafana and Andringitra National Parks, although it may also be found in Midongy du sud National Park
. However, this national park is at the extreme southern end of its geographic range, and the sportive lemurs there may actually represent a population of Fleurete's sportive lemur.
According to the International Species Information System
(ISIS), no small-toothed sportive lemurs were maintained in captivity as of 2009.
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...
species in the family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Lepilemuridae that—like all 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—is endemic to Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
. The species lives in dense rainforest
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
in southeastern Madagascar, and can be found in Ranomafana
Ranomafana National Park
Ranomafana National Park is located in the southeastern part of Madagascar in Haute Matsiatra and Vatovavy-Fitovinany. With more than 41,600 hectares of moist forest climate, the park is home to several rare species of flora and fauna such as the lemur...
and Andringitra National Park
Andringitra National Park
Andringitra National Park is National Park in the Haute Matsiatra Region of Madagascar, 47 km south of Ambalavao. Approximately 140 km of the Tropic of Capricorn crosses the park....
s. Described in 1894, it was considered either a subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
or taxonomic synonym
Synonym (taxonomy)
In scientific nomenclature, a synonym is a scientific name that is or was used for a taxon of organisms that also goes by a different scientific name. For example, Linnaeus was the first to give a scientific name to the Norway spruce, which he called Pinus abies...
of the weasel sportive lemur (Lepilemur mustelinus) throughout most of the 20th century. Phylogenetic studies
Phylogenetics
In biology, phylogenetics is the study of evolutionary relatedness among groups of organisms , which is discovered through molecular sequencing data and morphological data matrices...
not only support its species status, but also suggest that it is the only eastern Malagasy sportive lemur that is more closely related to western than to other eastern species.
According to the original description, some of its teeth are smaller than those in other sportive lemur
Sportive lemur
The sportive lemurs are the medium sized primates that make up the Lepilemuridae family. The family consists of only one extant genus, Lepilemur, as well as the extinct genus Megaladapis. They are closely related to the other lemurs and exclusively live on the island of Madagascar...
s. It is relatively large for a sportive lemur, and is difficult to visually distinguish from the weasel sportive lemur. The species weighs between 0.9 and 1.2 kg (2 and 2.6 lb) and measures 55 to 64 cm (21.7 to 25.2 in) from head to tail. Its fur is mostly reddish-brown or chestnut color, with a dark stripe running from its head down its back. Its underside and neck are lighter in color. Like other sportive lemurs, it is nocturnal, sleeping in concealed tangles of vegetation as well as tree holes. The small-toothed sportive lemur is solitary and eats leaves, fruits, and flowers.
Due to recent taxonomic changes and a lack of clarity about its population size and range, it is listed as "Data Deficient
Data Deficient
Data Deficient is a category applied by the IUCN, other agencies, and individuals to a species when the available information is not sufficient for a proper assessment of conservation status to be made...
" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It is also protected from international commercial trade under CITES Appendix I. Its primary threats are habitat loss to slash and burn
Slash and burn
Slash-and-burn is an agricultural technique which involves cutting and burning of forests or woodlands to create fields. It is subsistence agriculture that typically uses little technology or other tools. It is typically part of shifting cultivation agriculture, and of transhumance livestock...
agriculture and hunting.
Taxonomy and phylogeny
The small-toothed sportive lemur or small-toothed weasel lemur, a member of the sportive lemurSportive lemur
The sportive lemurs are the medium sized primates that make up the Lepilemuridae family. The family consists of only one extant genus, Lepilemur, as well as the extinct genus Megaladapis. They are closely related to the other lemurs and exclusively live on the island of Madagascar...
genus (Lepilemur), was first described in 1894 by Charles Immanuel Forsyth Major
Charles Immanuel Forsyth Major
Charles Immanuel Forsyth Major was a Swiss zoologist and vertebrate palaeontologist.Major was born in Glasgow and studied at Basel and Zurich Universities in Switzerland and later Göttingen in Germany...
, based on a specimen found in the Ankafana Forest in the eastern districts of the former Betsileo province
Provinces of Madagascar
||Madagascar is divided into six "autonomous provinces" :#Antananarivo Province#Antsiranana Province#Fianarantsoa Province#Mahajanga Province#Toamasina Province#Toliara Province...
in central Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
. Although Forsyth Major did not explicitly state the origins of either the scientific name
Binomial nomenclature
Binomial nomenclature is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin grammatical forms, although they can be based on words from other languages...
or the vernacular name
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
, he did note that it had smaller molar teeth
Molar (tooth)
Molars are the rearmost and most complicated kind of tooth in most mammals. In many mammals they grind food; hence the Latin name mola, "millstone"....
relative to other sportive lemur
Sportive lemur
The sportive lemurs are the medium sized primates that make up the Lepilemuridae family. The family consists of only one extant genus, Lepilemur, as well as the extinct genus Megaladapis. They are closely related to the other lemurs and exclusively live on the island of Madagascar...
s. The species name microdon is derived from the Ancient Greek micro-, meaning "small" and -odon, meaning "tooth."
Until the 1990s, there was some dispute over the taxonomic status
Taxonomy
Taxonomy is the science of identifying and naming species, and arranging them into a classification. The field of taxonomy, sometimes referred to as "biological taxonomy", revolves around the description and use of taxonomic units, known as taxa...
of the species. For much of the 20th century, the small-toothed sportive lemur was considered a subspecies of the weasel sportive lemur (Lepilemur mustelinus). In his book The Primates of Madagascar from 1982, primatologist Ian Tattersall
Ian Tattersall
Ian Tattersall is a paleoanthropologist and a curator at the American Museum of Natural History. Tattersall received his PhD from Yale University in 1971. In addition to human evolution, he has worked extensively with lemurs. He is working with The Templeton Foundation.-Selected publications:* The...
deviated from the traditional view by considering L. microdon a synonym
Synonym (taxonomy)
In scientific nomenclature, a synonym is a scientific name that is or was used for a taxon of organisms that also goes by a different scientific name. For example, Linnaeus was the first to give a scientific name to the Norway spruce, which he called Pinus abies...
of the weasel sportive lemur, while also recognizing only a single species of sportive lemur. Tattersall based his decision on what he considered to be a lack of detailed anatomical studies and field surveys, while also factoring in the difficulty in observing the animals in the wild, the presence of only subtle variations among museum specimens, and his own unwillingness to consider differences in karyotype
Karyotype
A karyotype is the number and appearance of chromosomes in the nucleus of an eukaryotic cell. The term is also used for the complete set of chromosomes in a species, or an individual organism.p28...
s as grounds for defining distinct species. However, primatologist Russell Mittermeier
Russell Mittermeier
Russell Alan Mittermeier is a primatologist, herpetologist and biological anthropologist. He has written several books for both popular and scientist audiences, and has authored some 300 scientific papers.-Biography:...
, et al. in Lemurs of Madagascar
Lemurs of Madagascar (book)
Lemurs of Madagascar, currently in its third edition, is a reference work and field guide for the lemurs of Madagascar, giving descriptions and biogeographic data for the known species. The primary contributor is Russell Mittermeier, president of Conservation International, and the cover art and...
(1994), taxonomist Colin Groves
Colin Groves
Colin Peter Groves is Professor of Biological Anthropology at the Australian National University in Canberra, Australia.Born in England on 24 June 1942, Colin Groves completed a Bachelor of Science at University College London in 1963, and a Doctor of Philosophy at the Royal Free Hospital School of...
in Mammal Species of the World
Mammal Species of the World
Mammal Species of the World, now in its 3rd edition, is a standard reference work in zoology giving descriptions and bibliographic data for the known species of mammals.An updated Third Edition of Mammal Species of the World was published late in 2005:...
(2005), and others favored recognizing the small-toothed sportive lemur as a species while also recognizing a total of seven sportive lemur species.
A cytogenetic
Cytogenetics
Cytogenetics is a branch of genetics that is concerned with the study of the structure and function of the cell, especially the chromosomes. It includes routine analysis of G-Banded chromosomes, other cytogenetic banding techniques, as well as molecular cytogenetics such as fluorescent in situ...
(chromosome
Chromosome
A chromosome is an organized structure of DNA and protein 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.Chromosomes...
) study by Nicole Andriaholinirina, et al. published in 2005 added strong support to the species status of the small-toothed sportive lemur by demonstrating that its karyotype was distinct from all other sport lemur species. The species has 24 chromosomes (2n=24); the autosomal pairs
Autosome
An autosome is a chromosome that is not a sex chromosome, or allosome; that is to say, there is an equal number of copies of the chromosome in males and females. For example, in humans, there are 22 pairs of autosomes. In addition to autosomes, there are sex chromosomes, to be specific: X and Y...
(not sex chromosomes) include eight that are meta- or submetacentric
Centromere
A centromere is a region of DNA typically found near the middle of a chromosome where two identical sister chromatids come closest in contact. It is involved in cell division as the point of mitotic spindle attachment...
(where chromosome arms are equal or unequal in length, respectively) and three smaller acrocentric
Centromere
A centromere is a region of DNA typically found near the middle of a chromosome where two identical sister chromatids come closest in contact. It is involved in cell division as the point of mitotic spindle attachment...
pairs (with the shorter chromosome arm difficult to observe). Both the X
X chromosome
The X chromosome is one of the two sex-determining chromosomes in many animal species, including mammals and is common in both males and females. It is a part of the XY sex-determination system and X0 sex-determination system...
and Y chromosome
Y chromosome
The Y chromosome is one of the two sex-determining chromosomes in most mammals, including humans. In mammals, it contains the gene SRY, which triggers testis development if present. The human Y chromosome is composed of about 60 million base pairs...
s are acrocentric. The study also showed that the small-toothed sportive lemur was the sportive lemur species most genetically distinct from the weasel sportive lemur, despite their similar appearance. A total of 18 chromosomal rearrangements
Chromosomal translocation
In genetics, a chromosome translocation is a chromosome abnormality caused by rearrangement of parts between nonhomologous chromosomes. A gene fusion may be created when the translocation joins two otherwise separated genes, the occurrence of which is common in cancer. It is detected on...
distinguished the two species, indicating that if the two shared the same range, hybrids would be either completely sterile
Sterility (physiology)
Sterility is the physiological inability to effect sexual reproduction in a living thing, members of whose kind have been produced sexually. The term may be used in reference to* types of organism, such as the mule, a sterile hybrid;...
or suffer greatly reduced fertility.
In September 2006, Edward E. Louis, Jr., et al. announced the discovery of 11 new species of sportive lemur based on mitochondrial DNA
Mitochondrial DNA
Mitochondrial DNA is the DNA located in organelles called mitochondria, structures within eukaryotic cells that convert the chemical energy from food into a form that cells can use, adenosine triphosphate...
(mtDNA) data. Each new species resulted from the splitting of existing species. In the case of the small-toothed sportive lemur, the population at Kalambatritra Reserve
Kalambatritra Reserve
Kalambatritra Reserve is a wildlife reserve of Madagascar.-References:...
became known as Wright's sportive lemur
Wright's Sportive Lemur
Wright's sportive lemur , or Kalambatritra sportive lemur, is a sportive lemur endemic to Madagascar. It is one of the larger sportive lemurs with a total length of about 52 to 64 centimeters, of which 24-27 centimeters are tail...
(Lepilemur wrightae), the population as Andohahela National Park
Andohahela National Park
Andohahela 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...
became Fleurete's sportive lemur
Fleurete's Sportive Lemur
Fleurete's sportive lemur , or Andohahela sportive lemur, is a sportive lemur endemic to Madagascar. It is a medium sized sportive lemur with a total length of about 58 to 67 centimeters, of which about 30 centimeters are tail Fleurete's sportive lemur is found in southeastern Madagascar, living...
(L. fleuretae), the population in Fandriana
Fandriana
Fandriana is a town and commune in Madagascar. It belongs to the district of Fandriana, which is a part of Amoron'i Mania Region. The population of the commune was estimated to be approximately 29,000 in 2001 commune census....
became Betsileo sportive lemur
Betsileo Sportive Lemur
The Betsileo sportive lemur is a sportive lemur endemic to Madagascar. It is a relatively large sportive lemur with a total length of about 58 to 27 centimeters, of which 32 to 33 centimeters are tail. The Betsileo Sportive Lemur is found in eastern Madagascar, living in primary and secondary...
(L. betsileo), and the population at Manombo Reserve
Manombo Reserve
Manombo Reserve is a wildlife reserve of Madagascar....
became James' sportive lemur
James' Sportive Lemur
James' sportive lemur , or Manombo sportive lemur, is a sportive lemur endemic to Madagascar. It is one of the larger sportive lemurs with a total length of about 60 to 67 centimeters, of which 28 to 32 centimeters are tail...
(L. jamesorum). The small-toothed sportive lemur remains a distinct species, while even more species have since been described, though none within its range.
Between 2006 and 2009, three studies were published to resolve the phylogenetic
Phylogenetics
In biology, phylogenetics is the study of evolutionary relatedness among groups of organisms , which is discovered through molecular sequencing data and morphological data matrices...
relationships between the sportive lemurs. Cytogenetic and molecular
Molecular clock
The molecular clock is a technique in molecular evolution that 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...
studies in 2006 and 2008 concluded that the small-toothed sportive lemur is most closely related to the Milne-Edwards' sportive lemur
Milne-Edwards' Sportive Lemur
The Milne-Edwards' sportive lemur , or Milne-Edwards' weasel lemur, is a species of lemur in the Lepilemuridae family. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests. It is threatened by habitat loss....
(Lepilemur edwardsi). In 2009, a study examined every known species, including the species most recently described, using two pieces of mtDNA: the D-loop
D-loop
In molecular biology, a displacement loop or D-loop is a DNA structure where the two strands of a double-stranded DNA molecule are separated for a stretch and held apart by a third strand of DNA. The third strand has a base sequence which is complementary to one of the main strands and pairs with...
and an array of genes known as the PAST fragment. The resulting data placed the sportive lemurs into four groups: Section A from northern and northwestern Madagascar, section B from northwestern Madagascar, section C from west central and southern Madagascar, and section D from eastern Madagascar. Only the small-toothed sportive lemur generated conflicting results when comparing the results between the mtDNA and D-loop data. The PAST data placed it in section B, while the D-loop data placed it in section C. The relationship between the small-toothed sportive lemur, an eastern Malagasy species, and a group of species from the west coast of Madagascar suggests that the ancestral population of the small-toothed sportive lemur dispersed
Biological dispersal
Biological dispersal refers to species movement away from an existing population or away from the parent organism. Through simply moving from one habitat patch to another, the dispersal of an individual has consequences not only for individual fitness, but also for population dynamics, population...
to its current range from western Madagascar using river corridors. However, the conflicting data about the relationship of the small-toothed sportive lemur to either section B or section C render the precise dispersal route uncertain.
Physical description
Compared to other sportive lemurs, the small-toothed sportive lemur is relatively large, weighing between 0.9 and 1.2 kg (2 and 2.6 lb) and measuring 55 to 64 cm (21.7 to 25.2 in) from head to tail. Its head-body length is 27 to 32 cm (10.6 to 12.6 in), and its tail measures between 25 and 29 cm (9.8 and 11.4 in). The species is nearly identical in coloration to the weasel sportive lemur and it is almost impossible to separate the two in the field, except on the basis of geography. The small-toothed sportive lemur has a dark stripe in the center of its forehead that lightens as it runs down the back. Its pelage (fur) is thick and reddish-brown, while its underside and neck are pale gray-brown, and sometimes have a yellowish or yellowish-gray hue. The shoulders and forelimbs have a bright chestnut color. The color darkens to russet between the shoulders, down to the hind-limbs and tail. The tail is darkest at the tip. Some individuals are reported to have a characteristic collar of white fur.Like all sportive lemurs, they can easily be confused with 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....
s (genus Avahi), and sometimes with the much smaller dwarf lemur
Dwarf lemur
The dwarf lemurs are the lemurs of the genus Cheirogaleus. All of the species in this genus, like all other lemurs, are native to Madagascar.- Description :...
s (genus Cheirogaleus). Unlike the woolly lemurs, sportive lemurs have prominent ears, and they lack the white patches usually found on the thighs of woolly lemurs. All sportive lemurs have long legs compared to their arms and trunk and the face is covered with short hairs.
According to a review by Henry Ogg Forbes
Henry Ogg Forbes
Henry Ogg Forbes was a Scottish explorer, ornithologist, and botanist. Educated at Aberdeen Grammar School, the University of Aberdeen and the University of Edinburgh, he was primarily active in the Moluccas and New Guinea, he served as director of the Canterbury Museum in New Zealand between...
in 1894, the species differs from other sportive lemurs—as its name suggests—by having significantly smaller molar
Molar (tooth)
Molars are the rearmost and most complicated kind of tooth in most mammals. In many mammals they grind food; hence the Latin name mola, "millstone"....
teeth. Forbes also claimed that compared with the weasel sportive lemur, its bony palate
Hard palate
The hard palate is a thin horizontal bony plate of the skull, located in the roof of the mouth. It spans the arch formed by the upper teeth.It is formed by the palatine process of the maxilla and horizontal plate of palatine bone....
is longer and it has a depression at the base of the nasal (nose) region. Like other sportive lemurs, the cecum
Cecum
The cecum or caecum is a pouch, connecting the ileum with the ascending colon of the large intestine. It is separated from the ileum by the ileocecal valve or Bauhin's valve, and is considered to be the beginning of the large intestine. It is also separated from the colon by the cecocolic...
(beginning of the large intestine) is enlarged, presumably to handle its leaf-rich diet, which is more characteristic of larger primates.
Habitat and distribution
The small-toothed sportive lemur is found in inland southeastern Madagascar, ranging from Ranomafana National ParkRanomafana National Park
Ranomafana National Park is located in the southeastern part of Madagascar in Haute Matsiatra and Vatovavy-Fitovinany. With more than 41,600 hectares of moist forest climate, the park is home to several rare species of flora and fauna such as the lemur...
southwest to Andringitra National Park
Andringitra National Park
Andringitra National Park is National Park in the Haute Matsiatra Region of Madagascar, 47 km south of Ambalavao. Approximately 140 km of the Tropic of Capricorn crosses the park....
. The Namorona River acts as the northern border of its range, and the Manampatrana River may act as a southern border, where the species seems to be replaced by the James' sportive lemur. Further studies are needed to clarify its range and relationship with other sportive lemurs in southeastern Madagascar. The species inhabits dense rainforest
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
.
A preliminary study at Ranomafana National Park in 1995 indicated the small-toothed sportive lemur may avoid competing with woolly lemurs for food (interspecific competition
Interspecific competition
Interspecific competition, in ecology, is a form of competition in which individuals of different species compete for the same resource in an ecosystem...
) by living in more disturbed areas of the park. Woolly lemur population density (and thus competition for food) appeared to affect the species distribution more than the availability of sleep sites.
Behavior and ecology
Like all sportive lemurs, the small-toothed sportive lemur is nocturnal, sleeping in tree cavities or hidden tangles of vines and leaves during the day. The species is considered solitary, and like other rainforest-dwelling sportive lemurs, they vocalize significantly less than sportive lemurs that live in drier forests. Other similarities with the rest of the sportive lemur species include its diet of leaves, fruits, and flowers, its low resting metabolic rateBasal metabolic rate
Basal Metabolic Rate , and the closely related resting metabolic rate , is the amount of daily energy expended by humans and other animals at rest. Rest is defined as existing in a neutrally temperate environment while in the post-absorptive state...
, and its low activity rate.
In general, predators of sportive lemurs include diurnal birds of prey and carnivores, such as 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...
. The only recorded instance of predation on the small-toothed sportive lemur was by a Henst's goshawk
Henst's Goshawk
Henst's Goshawk is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family.It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, and plantations.It is threatened by...
(Accipiter henstii).
Conservation
The small-toothed sportive lemur is listed under CITES Appendix I, which prohibits international commercial trade. The IUCN originally listedIUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
the species as "Lower Risk
Lower Risk
An animal with the conservation status of Lower Risk is one with populations sufficiently high so as to ensure its survival in the long run. Animals with this status do not qualify as being Vulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered....
", first in 1996 under the sub-classification "least concern", and then in 2000 under the sub-classification "near threatened". Prior to the taxonomic changes that resulted in many new species of sportive lemur, the small-toothed sportive lemur was considered to have a widespread distribution, but its range is now thought to be more restricted. During its 2008 assessment, its population size, geographic range, and other factors were unclear, resulting in the classification "Data Deficient
Data Deficient
Data Deficient is a category applied by the IUCN, other agencies, and individuals to a species when the available information is not sufficient for a proper assessment of conservation status to be made...
". Given the known threats the species faces, and as its distribution becomes better known, the IUCN states that the species may merit "Threatened" status in the future.
Like many species of lemur, it is threatened with habitat loss from slash and burn
Slash and burn
Slash-and-burn is an agricultural technique which involves cutting and burning of forests or woodlands to create fields. It is subsistence agriculture that typically uses little technology or other tools. It is typically part of shifting cultivation agriculture, and of transhumance livestock...
agriculture and by increasing hunting pressure. It is hunted with spears and is also captured when trees with sleeping holes are cut down. The small-toothed sportive lemur is known to occur in both Ranomafana and Andringitra National Parks, although it may also be found in Midongy du sud National Park
Midongy du sud National Park
Midongy du sud National Park is a national park of Madagascar....
. However, this national park is at the extreme southern end of its geographic range, and the sportive lemurs there may actually represent a population of Fleurete's sportive lemur.
According to the International Species Information System
International Species Information System
-External links:*...
(ISIS), no small-toothed sportive lemurs were maintained in captivity as of 2009.