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Sportive Lemur

 
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Sportive lemur
 
 
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The sportive lemurs are the medium sized primate
Primate

A primate is a member of the biological order Primates , the group that contains lemurs, the Aye-aye, Lorisidaes, galagos, tarsiers, monkeys, and apes, with the last category including humans....
s that make up the Lepilemuridae family. The family consists of only one extant genus, Lepilemur, as well as the extinct genus Megaladapis
Megaladapis

Megaladapis is the genus of three extinct species of primates that once inhabited the island of Madagascar ....
. They are closely related to the other lemur
Lemur

Lemurs make up the infraorder Lemuriformes and are members of a group of primates known as prosimians. The term "lemur" is derived from the Latin word lemures, meaning "spirits of the night" or "ghosts"....
s and exclusively live on the island of Madagascar
Madagascar

Madagascar, 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 List of islands by area, and is home to 5% of the world's plant and animal species, of which more than 80% are Endemism to Madagascar....
. For a time, this family was named Megaladapidae, but the current name was given precedence.

r fur is grey brown or reddish colored on the top and whitish yellow underneath.






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The sportive lemurs are the medium sized primate
Primate

A primate is a member of the biological order Primates , the group that contains lemurs, the Aye-aye, Lorisidaes, galagos, tarsiers, monkeys, and apes, with the last category including humans....
s that make up the Lepilemuridae family. The family consists of only one extant genus, Lepilemur, as well as the extinct genus Megaladapis
Megaladapis

Megaladapis is the genus of three extinct species of primates that once inhabited the island of Madagascar ....
. They are closely related to the other lemur
Lemur

Lemurs make up the infraorder Lemuriformes and are members of a group of primates known as prosimians. The term "lemur" is derived from the Latin word lemures, meaning "spirits of the night" or "ghosts"....
s and exclusively live on the island of Madagascar
Madagascar

Madagascar, 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 List of islands by area, and is home to 5% of the world's plant and animal species, of which more than 80% are Endemism to Madagascar....
. For a time, this family was named Megaladapidae, but the current name was given precedence.

Physical characteristics

Their fur is grey brown or reddish colored on the top and whitish yellow underneath. They typically have a short head large, round ears. They grow to a length of 30 to 35 cm (with a tail just about as long as their body) and weigh up to 0.9 kg. Their eyes have a tapetum lucidum
Tapetum lucidum

The tapetum lucidum is a layer of tissue in the eye of many vertebrate animals, that lies immediately behind or sometimes within the retina. It Reflection visible light back through the retina, increasing the light available to the Photoreceptor cell....
 behind the retina, hence they have eyeshine.

Behaviour and mating

Sportive lemurs are strictly nocturnal and predominantly arboreal
Arboreal

Arboreal is a word meaning "related to or resembling trees". Its meaning comes from the Latin arbor, meaning tree.In biology, an arboreal animal is one which inhabits or spends large amounts of time in trees or Shrubes....
, moving among the trees with long jumps powered by their strong hind legs. On the ground, they hop similarly as the kangaroo
Kangaroo

A kangaroo is a marsupial from the family Macropodidae . In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, the Red Kangaroo, the Antilopine Kangaroo, and the Eastern Grey Kangaroo and Western Grey Kangaroo of the Macropus genus....
s. During the day they hide in the leafy covering or tree hollow
Tree hollow

A tree hollow or tree hole is a semi-enclosed cavity which has naturally formed in the trunk or branch of a tree. These are predominantly found in old trees, whether living or not....
s. Sportive lemurs are solitary but defend their territory vehemently against same sex intruders. The territories of males and females can overlap.

Diet

They are mainly herbivore
Herbivore

Herbivory is a form of predation in which an organism, known as an herbivore, heterotrophs principally autotrophs such as plants, algae and photosynthesizing bacteria....
s and their diet consists predominantly of leaves.

Reproduction and lifespan

Birthing happens between September and December after a gestation of 120 to 150 days, and is usually of a single young which is often reared in a nest in a tree hollow. At about four months the juveniles are weaned but remain with their mother up to an age of one year. At about 18 months they are fully mature, and live to be about eight years old.

Classification

  • ORDER PRIMATES
    • Suborder Strepsirrhini
      Strepsirrhini

      The clade Strepsirrhini is one of the two suborders of primates. One of the most distinguishing characteristic of these 118 species is their wet noses, and it is this feature for which the grouping is named....
      : non-tarsier prosimians
      • Family Cheirogaleidae
        Cheirogaleidae

        Cheirogaleidae is the family of strepsirrhine primates that contains the various dwarf and mouse lemurs. Like all other lemurs, cheirogaleids live exclusively on the island of Madagascar....
        : dwarf and mouse lemurs
      • Family Lemuridae
        Lemuridae

        Lemuridae is a family of prosimian primates native to Madagascar, and one of four 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....
        : lemurs
      • Family Lepilemuridae: sportive lemurs
        • Genus †Megaladapis
          Megaladapis

          Megaladapis is the genus of three extinct species of primates that once inhabited the island of Madagascar ....
          • †Megaladapis edwardsi
          • †Megaladapis madagascariensis
          • †Megaladapis grandidieri
        • Genus Lepilemur
          • Aeecl's Sportive Lemur
            Aeecl's Sportive Lemur

            The Aeecl's Sportive Lemur or Red-shouldered Sportive Lemur is a sportive lemur endemic to Madagascar. It has a total length of about 52 to 59 centimeters, of which 24-26 centimeters are tail....
             (            Lepilemur aeeclis) *
          • Ahmanson's Sportive Lemur
            Ahmanson's Sportive Lemur

            Ahmanson's Sportive Lemur is a sportive lemur endemic to Madagascar. It is a relatively small sportive lemur with a total length of about 47 to 54 centimeters, of which 23-25 centimeters are tail....
             (            Lepilemur ahmansoni) **
          • Ankarana Sportive Lemur
            Ankarana Sportive Lemur

            The Ankarana Sportive Lemur is a sportive lemur endemic to Madagascar. It is one of the smaller sportive lemurs with a total length of about 53 centimeters, including 25 centimeters of tail....
            , (            Lepilemur ankaranensis)
          • 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....
             (            Lepilemur betsileo) **
          • Gray-backed Sportive Lemur
            Gray-backed Sportive Lemur

            The Gray-backed Sportive Lemur is a species of lemur in the Lepilemuridae family. It is Endemism to Madagascar. It is threatened by habitat loss....
            , (            Lepilemur dorsalis)
          • Milne-Edwards' Sportive Lemur
            Milne-Edwards' Sportive Lemur

            The Milne-Edwards' Sportive Lemur is a species of lemur in the Lepilemuridae family. It is Endemism to Madagascar. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests. It is threatened by habitat loss....
            , (            Lepilemur edwardsi)
          • Fleurete's Sportive Lemur
            Fleurete's Sportive Lemur

            Fleurete's 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 in primary and secondary rainforests ....
             (            Lepilemur fleuretae) **
          • Grewcock's Sportive Lemur
            Grewcock's Sportive Lemur

            Grewcock's Sportive Lemur is a sportive lemur endemic to Madagascar. It is a medium-sized sportive lemurs with a total length of about 55 to 63 centimeters, of which 26-30 centimeters are tail....
             (            Lepilemur grewcocki) **
          • Hubbard's Sportive Lemur
            Hubbard's Sportive Lemur

            Hubbard's Sportive Lemur is a sportive lemur endemic to Madagascar. It has total length of about 51 to 59 centimeters, of which 23-25 centimeters are tail....
             (            Lepilemur hubbardi) **
          • James' Sportive Lemur
            James' Sportive Lemur

            James' 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....
             (            Lepilemur jamesi) **
          • White-footed Sportive Lemur
            White-footed Sportive Lemur

            The White-footed Sportive Lemur is a species of lemur in the Lepilemuridae family. It is Endemism to Madagascar. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland. It is threatened by habitat loss....
            , (            Lepilemur leucopus)
          • Manasamody Sportive Lemur
            Manasamody Sportive Lemur

            The Manasamody Sportive Lemur is a sportive lemur endemic to Madagascar. Its coloration is primarily grey-brown. It is known only from Ambongabe and Anjiamangirana I, between the Sofia River in the south and the Maevarano River in the north....
             (            Lepilemur manasamody) ***
          • Small-toothed Sportive Lemur
            Small-toothed Sportive Lemur

            The Small-toothed Sportive Lemur is a species of lemur in the Lepilemuridae family. It is Endemism to Madagascar. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests. It is threatened by habitat loss....
            , (            Lepilemur microdon)
          • Ring Sportive Lemur
            Ring Sportive Lemur

            The Ring Sportive Lemur or Daraina Sportive Lemur is a sportive lemur endemic to Madagascar. It is a relatively small sportive lemur with a total length of about 49 to 56 centimeters, of which 24-27 centimeters are tail....
             (            Lepilemur milanoii) **
          • Weasel Sportive Lemur, (Lepilemur mustelinus)
          • Otto's Sportive Lemur
            Otto's Sportive Lemur

            Otto's Sportive Lemur is a sportive lemur endemic to Madagascar. Its coloration is primarily grey-brown. It is known only from Ambodimahabibo, between the Mahajamba River in the west and the Sofia River in the north....
             (            Lepilemur otto) ***
          • Petter's Sportive Lemur
            Petter's Sportive Lemur

            Petter's Sportive Lemur is a sportive lemur endemic to Madagascar. It is one of the smaller sportive lemurs with a total length of about 49 to 54 centimeters, of which 22-25 centimeters are tail....
             (            Lepilemur petteri) **
          • Randrianasoli's Sportive Lemur
            Randrianasoli's Sportive Lemur

            The Randriansoli's Sportive Lemur is a sportive lemur endemic to Madagascar. It has a total length of about 49 to 56 centimeters, of which 21-26 centimeters are tail....
             (            Lepilemur randrianasoli) *
          • Red-tailed Sportive Lemur
            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....
            , (            Lepilemur ruficaudatus)
          • Sahamalaza's Sportive Lemur
            Sahamalaza's Sportive Lemur

            The Sahamalaza Sportive Lemur is a sportive lemur endemic to Madagascar. It has a total length of about 51 to 54 centimeters, of which 26-27 centimeters are tail....
             (            Lepilemur sahamalazensis) *
          • Scott's Sportive Lemur
            Scott's Sportive Lemur

            Scott's Sportive Lemur is a sportive lemur endemic to Madagascar. It has greyish brown fur and a black-tipped tail. It is named in honor of the Suzanne and Walter Scott, Jr. Foundation....
             (            Lepilemur scottorum)****
          • Seal's Sportive Lemur
            Seal's Sportive Lemur

            Seal's Sportive Lemur is a sportive lemur endemic to Madagascar. It is a large sportive lemur with a total length of about 57 to 64 centimeters, of which 25 to 28 centimeters are tail....
             (            Lepilemur seali) **
          • Northern Sportive Lemur
            Northern Sportive Lemur

            The Northern Sportive Lemur is a species of lemur in the Lepilemuridae family. It is Endemism to Madagascar. It is threatened by habitat loss....
            , (            Lepilemur septentrionalis)
          • Hawk's Sportive Lemur
            Hawk's Sportive Lemur

            Hawk's Sportive Lemur is a sportive lemur endemic to Madagascar. It is a moderately large sportive lemur, with a total length of about 50 to 68 centimeters, of which 22 to 27 centimeters are tail....
             (            Lepilemur tymerlachsoni) **
          • Wright's Sportive Lemur
            Wright's Sportive Lemur

            Wright's 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 wrighti) **
      • Family Indriidae
        Indriidae

        The Indridae are a family of strepsirrhine primates. They are medium to large sized lemurs with only four teeth in the toothcomb instead of the usual six....
        : woolly lemurs and allies
      • Family Daubentoniidae: Aye-aye
      • Family Lorisidae
        Lorisidae

        Lorisidae is a family of strepsirrhine primates. The lorids are all slim arboreal animals and include the lorises, pottos and angwantibos....
        : lorises, pottos and allies
      • Family Galagidae: galagos
    • Suborder Haplorrhini
      Haplorrhini

      The haplorrhines, the "dry-nosed" primates , are members of the Haplorrhini Cladistics: the prosimian tarsiers and all of the true simians ....
      : tarsiers, monkeys and apes


* New species according to molecular analysis
** New species according to molecular analysis
*** New species according to molecular analysis
**** New species according to molecular analysis


External links

  • ARKive -