Ring-tailed Lemur Lemur catta Endangered. Aye-aye Daubentonia madagascariensis Endangered. Eastern Woolly Lemur Avahi laniger Vulnerable. Indri Indri indri Critically Endangered. Northern Bamboo Lemur Hapalemur occidentalis Vulnerable. Red-bellied Lemur Eulemur rubriventer Vulnerable.
Erik Patel. White-fronted Brown Lemur Eulemur albifrons Vulnerable. They get the best food choices in the wild, defend the group and choose with whom they mate.
Prosimians are those primates that evolved before the anthropoids. The first prosimian appears in the fossil record about 55 million years ago, the first monkey about 45 million years ago, and the first ape about 35 million years ago.
Before the appearance of anthropoids, prosimians were quite prevalent. Their fossils have been discovered in all corners of the world, including Europe, Asia, Egypt and even in the northwestern United States.
While Madagascar broke away from Africa more than million years ago, it's puzzling to scientists that lemurs evolved only 55 million years ago. One of the theories of how lemurs got to Madagascar is that they rafted there on clumps of vegetation.
Once monkeys and apes appeared, day-time active prosimians were out-competed and disappeared. Only night-time active prosimians occur outside of Madagascar because there are no nocturnal monkeys or apes in those regions except for the night monkey in South America. Since humans arrived on the island of Madagascar, approximately 1, to 1, years ago, 16 species of lemurs have become extinct, most likely due to habitat destruction and hunting by humans.
The largest of the extinct lemurs was known as Archaeoindris and was about the size of a male gorilla. Lemurs use their hands and feet to move nimbly through the trees, but cannot grip with their tails as some of their primate cousins do.
Ring-tailed lemurs also spend a lot of time on the ground, which is unusual among lemur species. They forage for fruit, which makes up the greater part of their diet, but also eat leaves, flowers, tree bark, and sap.
Ring-tailed lemurs have powerful scent glands and use their unique odor as a communication tool and even as a kind of weapon. Lemurs mark their territory by scent, serving notice of their presence to all who can smell.
During mating season, male lemurs battle for dominance by trying to outstink each other. They cover their long tails with smelly secretions and wave them in the air to determine which animal is more powerful. Ring-tailed lemurs live in groups known as troops. These groups may include 6 to 30 animals, but average about Both sexes live in troops, but a dominant female presides over all.
Ring-tailed lemurs are threatened, largely because the sparse, dry forests they love are quickly vanishing. All rights reserved. Common Name: Ring-Tailed Lemur.
Scientific Name: Lemur catta. Type: Mammals. Diet: Herbivore. Group Name: Troop. Size: Head and body:
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