Difference between revisions of "Lemur" - New World Encyclopedia
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| − | any of the prosimian | + | '''Lemur''' is the common name for any of the [[primate#Prosimians|prosimian]] [[primate]]s belonging to the infraorder '''Lemuriformes''', which comprises the families Lemuridae (lemurs), Lepilemuridae (sportive lemurs), Indriidae (woolly lemurs), and Cheirogaleidae (dwarf lemurs and mouse lemurs). The term also is used in a more restrictive sense to refer only to the members of the family Lemuridae. |
| + | ==Overview== | ||
| + | Lemurs belong to the biological order Primates. Primates are characterized by being anatomically unspecialized, with limbs capable of performing a variety of functions, refined five-digit hands and feet adapted for grasping and including opposable thumbs, comparatively flattened snouts, and prolonged pre- and postnatal development, among other features. Another distinguishing feature of primates is fingernails. All primates, even those that lack the features typical of other primates (like lorises), share eye orbit characteristics, such as a postorbital bar, that distinguish them from other taxonomic orders. | ||
| + | The Primates order is divided informally into three main groupings: ''prosimians'', ''monkeys of the New World'', and ''monkeys and apes of the Old World''. Lemurs are prosimians. Prosimians are generally considered the most primitive extant (living) primates, representing forms that were ancestral to [[monkey]]s and [[ape]]s. With the exception of the tarsiers, all of the prosimians are in the suborder ''Strepsirrhini''. These include the lemurs, Aye-aye, and lorises. The tasiers are placed in the suborder ''Haplorrhini'' (with the monkeys and apes). Within the Strepsirrhini there are different infraorders, one of which is the infraorder Lemuriformes, the lemurs. | ||
| − | + | The term lemur is generically used for the members of the four lemuriform families, but it is also the genus of one of the lemuriform species, the [[Ring-tailed Lemur]] (''Lemur catta''). The two so-called [[flying lemur]] species are not lemurs, nor are they even primates. | |
| − | + | The term "lemur" is derived from the [[Latin]] word ''[[lemures]]'', meaning "spirits of the night," or "ghost(s)" and likely refers to the large, reflective eyes that many of the nocturnal lemur species have. | |
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==Biology== | ==Biology== | ||
Revision as of 14:09, 18 August 2007
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 Ring-tailed Lemurs (Lemur catta)
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Lemur is the common name for any of the prosimian primates belonging to the infraorder Lemuriformes, which comprises the families Lemuridae (lemurs), Lepilemuridae (sportive lemurs), Indriidae (woolly lemurs), and Cheirogaleidae (dwarf lemurs and mouse lemurs). The term also is used in a more restrictive sense to refer only to the members of the family Lemuridae.
Overview
Lemurs belong to the biological order Primates. Primates are characterized by being anatomically unspecialized, with limbs capable of performing a variety of functions, refined five-digit hands and feet adapted for grasping and including opposable thumbs, comparatively flattened snouts, and prolonged pre- and postnatal development, among other features. Another distinguishing feature of primates is fingernails. All primates, even those that lack the features typical of other primates (like lorises), share eye orbit characteristics, such as a postorbital bar, that distinguish them from other taxonomic orders.
The Primates order is divided informally into three main groupings: prosimians, monkeys of the New World, and monkeys and apes of the Old World. Lemurs are prosimians. Prosimians are generally considered the most primitive extant (living) primates, representing forms that were ancestral to monkeys and apes. With the exception of the tarsiers, all of the prosimians are in the suborder Strepsirrhini. These include the lemurs, Aye-aye, and lorises. The tasiers are placed in the suborder Haplorrhini (with the monkeys and apes). Within the Strepsirrhini there are different infraorders, one of which is the infraorder Lemuriformes, the lemurs.
The term lemur is generically used for the members of the four lemuriform families, but it is also the genus of one of the lemuriform species, the Ring-tailed Lemur (Lemur catta). The two so-called flying lemur species are not lemurs, nor are they even primates.
The term "lemur" is derived from the Latin word lemures, meaning "spirits of the night," or "ghost(s)" and likely refers to the large, reflective eyes that many of the nocturnal lemur species have.
Biology
Lemurs are found naturally only on the island of Madagascar and some smaller surrounding islands, including the Comoros (where it is likely they were introduced by humans). Fossil evidence indicates that they made their way across the ocean after Madagascar broke away from the continent of Africa.[2] While their ancestors were displaced in the rest of the world by monkeys, apes, and other primates, the lemurs were safe from competition on Madagascar and differentiated into a number of species. These range in size from the tiny 30 gram (1 oz) Pygmy Mouse Lemur to the 10 kilogram (22 lb) Indri. The larger species some of which weighed up to 240 kg[3] have all become extinct since humans settled on Madagascar, and since the early 20th century the largest lemurs reach about 7 kilograms (15 lbs). Typically, the smaller lemurs are active at night (nocturnal), while the larger ones are active during the day (diurnal).
The small cheirogaleoids are generally omnivores, eating a variety of fruits, flowers and leaves (and sometimes nectar) as well as insects, spiders and small vertebrates. The remainder of the lemurs, the lemuroids are primarily herbivores, although some species supplement their diet with insects.
Lemurs have opposable thumbs and long grasping toes, but their tails are not prehensile. Lemurs have nails rather than claws. All lemur species have a tapetum, the reflective layer over the retina.[3] Lemurs are thought to have limited color vision.[3] Lemurs depend quite heavily on the sense of smell and have large nasal cavities and moist noses.[3]
Unlike most other primates, lemur species that live in groups have a Matriarchal society (i.e. females are dominant over males). Most lemur species are primarily arboreal and traverse the canopy by vertical clinging and leaping or quadrupedalism, with the notable exception of the Ring-Tailed Lemur (Lemur catta) which spends a considerable amount of time moving about on the ground.
Endangered species
All lemurs are endangered species or threatened species, many species became already extinct in the last centuries, due mainly to habitat destruction (deforestation) and hunting. Although conservation efforts are under way, options are limited because of the lemurs' limited range and because of Madagascar's economic situation relative to the developed world. Currently, there are 85 living lemur species accounted for in current publications,[4][5][6][7] with more currently awaiting publication. Indigenous superstitions that strepsirrhines like the nocturnal Aye-aye are omens and harbingers of bad fortune motivate some locals in remote areas to post hunting traps.
One of the foremost lemur research facilities is the Duke University Lemur Center.
Classification
As shown here, the four families of lemurs are split into two superfamilies. The Cheirogaleidae have a pedal structure, similar to the other strepsirrhine families and the haplorrhines, suggesting they split off from the other lemurs first. As such, the Cheirogaleoidea are a sister clade to the Lemuroidea.
- ORDER PRIMATES[1]
- Suborder Strepsirrhini: non-tarsier prosimians
- Infraorder Lemuriformes
- Superfamily Cheirogaleoidea
- Family Cheirogaleidae: dwarf and mouse lemurs
- Superfamily Lemuroidea
- Family Lemuridae: lemurs
- Family Lepilemuridae: sportive lemurs
- Family Indriidae: woolly lemurs, sifakas, and allies
- Superfamily Cheirogaleoidea
- Infraorder Chiromyiformes: Aye-aye
- Infraorder Lorisiformes: galagos (bushbabies) and lorises
- Infraorder Lemuriformes
- Suborder Haplorrhini: tarsiers, monkeys and apes
- Suborder Strepsirrhini: non-tarsier prosimians
In popular culture
Lemurs are not as commonly seen as other primates in pop culture settings, but they have recently gained in popularity due to greater exposure.
- The novella Ghost of Chance by William S. Burroughs, set in Madagascar, initially focuses on a character named Captain Mission, who looks after and cares for lemurs. The book is described on the back cover of the 1995 edition as being "an important story about environmental devastation."
- A Ring-tailed Lemur starred in the 1997 movie Fierce Creatures written by John Cleese.
- Zoboomafoo, an educational PBS Kids television program, features a Coquerel's Sifaka who is also the show's namesake.
- The Disney film Dinosaur (2000) features sifakas raising a dinosaur hatchling.
- In the television program Fat Actress, Kirstie Alley keeps a pet lemur who is never seen but referenced in conversations; a recurring gag involves the proper preparation of yams for its meals.
- Madagascar, a computer-animated film produced by DreamWorks Animation in 2005, prominently features a group of singing and dancing lemurs.
- The Katurran Odyssey book written by David Michael Wieger and created and illustrated by Star Wars creature designer Terryl Whitlatch has a ring-tailed lemur protagonist, and other lemur characters on his native island.
- In the Nickelodeon animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender, Aang keeps a winged lemur named Momo for a pet. Momo mostly resembles a Verreaux's Sifaka.
- In Cartoon Network's The Life and Times of Juniper Lee, the titular character is transformed into a Ring-tailed Lemur in the episode, "The Great Escape."
- The American rock group The Mars Volta used a lemur in their logos, and one is used as the principal character in the video for their single Televators[1]
- Lemurcon is a roughly annual late summer/early fall get-together of lemur enthusiasts at the Duke Lemur Center in North Carolina. Very roughly, this can be traced to the Usenet alt.fan.lemur mailing list.
Gallery
Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur
Red Ruffed Lemur
Ring-tailed Lemur
Ring-tailed Lemur from the Monkey Rainforest
Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur
White-fronted Brown Lemur at Blackpool Zoo
Ring-tailed Lemur at Marwell Zoological Park
Ring-tailed Lemur at San Diego Wild Animal Park
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 C. Groves, "Order Primates," "Order Monotremata," (and select other orders). Page(s) 111-121 in D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder, eds., Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition, Johns Hopkins University Press (2005). ISBN 0801882214.
- ↑ "What's A Lemur?". Retrieved 2006-04-19.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Strier, Karen B. (2000). Primate Behavioral Ecology. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 49.
- ↑ Mittermeier, Russell A., Konstant, William R., Hawkins, Frank , Louis, Edward E., and Langrand, Olivier (2006). Lemurs of Madagascar, 2nd edition, Conservation International. Retrieved 2006-10-29.
- ↑ Andriaholinirina, N., Fausser, J., Roos, C., Rumpler, Y., et al (2006 February 23). Molecular phylogeny and taxonomic revision of the sportive lemurs (Lepilemur, Primates). BMC Evolutionary Biology 6: 17. DOI:10.1186/1471-2148-6-17.
- ↑ Edward E. Louis, Jr., Shannon E. Engberg, Runhua Lei, Huimin Geng, Julie A. Sommer, Richard Randriamampionona, Jean C. Randriamanana, John R. Zaonarivelo, Rambinintsoa Andriantompohavana, Gisele Randria, Prosper, Boromé Ramaromilanto, Gilbert Rakotoarisoa, Alejandro Rooney, and Rick A. Brenneman (2006). Molecular and morphological analyses of the sportive lemurs (Family Megaladapidae: Genus Lepilemur) reveals 11 previously unrecognized species. Texas Tech University Special Publications (49): 1-49.
- ↑ Olivieria, G., Zimmermannb, E., Randrianambininab, B., Rassoloharijaonab, S., Rakotondravonyb, D., Guschanskia, K., Radespiela, U. (2006-10-26). The ever-increasing diversity in mouse lemurs: three new species in north and northwestern Madagascar. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. DOI:10.1016/j.ympev.2006.10.026 10.1016/j.ympev.2006.10.026 .
External links
- Duke University Lemur Center Lots of photographs, information, and research programs.
- List of Books about Lemurs
- Lemurs of the East Coast of Madagascar
- New lemurs found in Madagascar
- Lemurs of Madagascar
- Lemurs of The Palmarium reserve, about 10 different lemur species living in complete freedom!
- Read about Red-ruffed and White-fronted brown lemur research
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