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What are the characteristics of the Sterepsirrhini?
- no post orbital plate
- long snout
- epitheliochorial placenta (primitive)
- SHARED- PRIMITIVE ⇨unfused mandibular symphysis
- SHARED-DERIVED
- ⇨dental combe [exceptions= Indriidae (Indri, Sifaka) and Daubentuniidae (Aye-aye)]
- ⇨grooming claw on the 2nd pedal digit
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Infraorder- Lemuriformes
Superfamily- Lemuroidea
Are ALL ... and have ....
- ...from Madagascar
- ...5 Families:
Lemuroidae (Lemurs) - Cheirogaleidae (Dwarf Lemurs)
- Lepilemuridae (aka Megaladapidae; Sportive Lemurs)
- Indriidae (Indri, Sifaka)
- Daubentoniidae (Aye-aye)
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Infraorder- Lemuriformes
Superfamily- Lemuroidea
Family- Lemuridae
Are all... and have...
- Diurnal (can only be active in the day) or Cathemeral (can be active at anytime)
- 5 Genera:
- Lemur
- Eulemur
- Prolemur
- Hapalemur
- Varecia
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Superfamily- Lemuroidea
Family- Lemuridae
Genus- Lemur
Have...
- 1 Species- catta (Ring-tailed Lemur)
- -Southern Madagascar
- -2.2kg
- -Multi-male, multi-female groups: 3-27
- -Females in groups related
- -Home range: 6-35ha (hectares=100 meters)
- -Omnivorous
- -Diurnal
- -Comfortable on ground and trees
- -Females dominant over males
- -Territorial groups, with females actively defending boundaries
- -Males disperse from natal groups, females remain
- -Females organized into linear dominance hierarchies
- -Sometimes females engage in "targeted aggression" and force low-ranking females to leave the group (if not enough space in home range)
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Superfamily- Lemuroidea
Family- Lemuridae
Genus- Eulemur
Have...
- 7 Species- fulvus (Brown Lemur)
- Widespread in Madagascar
- 1.8-2.6kg
- Multi-male, multi-female groups that may split up and coalesce (fission-fusion): 6-12; E. rubriventer lives in single-male, single-female pairs
- Home range: 1-100 ha
- Omnivorous
- Sexually dichromatic (males and females differ in color)
- All Eulemur species chathemeral, either shifting seasonally or during a given 24-hr period
- Both males and females can disperse from their natal groups
- Personal space seems not well-developed (at least in E. fulvus)
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Superfamily- Lemuroidea
Family- Lemuridae
Genus- Hapalemur
Have...
- 4 Species- griseus (Gray Bamboo Lemur)
- Widespread
- .7-1.2kg
- Flexible groupings (male/female pairs, multi-male, multi-female groups): 1-9
- Home range: 6-26 ha
- Bamboo specialists; able to withstand heavy doses of cyanide found in bamboo; also feeds on grasses
- Both sexes disperse from their natal groups
- Offspring parked and retrieved
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Superfamily- Lemuroidea
Family- Lemuridae
Genus- Prolemur
Have...
- 1 Species- simus (Greater bamboo lemur)
- Southeastern Madagascar
- 2.4 kg
- Multi-male, multi-female groups: 4-12
- Home range: 62 ha (1 group)
- Bamboo specialist
- Not much else known about this genus
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Superfamily- Lemuroidea
Family- Lemuridae
Genus- Varencia
Have...
- 1 Species, 2 Subspecies- variegata (Black and White Ruffed Lemur)
- East coast, prone to cyclones
- 3-4.5 kg
- Flexible groupings (single foragers, pairs, multi-male, multi-female groups): 2-31
- Home range: 2-31 ha
- Highly frugivorous (fruit eaters)
- Have litters of offspring and nest (park) them, not carry them
- Highest intrisnsic rate of population growth of any primate for their body size (because of short gestation, litters, allonursing (other females nurse) nest-guarding, and rapid development)
- Main pollinators of Traveler's palm, an ancient plant in Madagascar (suggesting Varecia may be as old as this plant, >80my old!)
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Infraorder- Lemuriformes
Superfamily- Lemuroidea
Family- Cheirogaleidae
Are all... and
have...
- Nocturnal
- 5 Genera:
Microcebus- Mirza
- Cheirogaleus
- Phaner
- Allocebus
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Superfamily- Lemuroidea
Family- Cheirogaleidae
Genus- Microcebus
Have...
- 19 Species- murinus (Gray Mouse Lemur)Widespread
- 30-90 g
- Solitary foragers, females are communal sleepers
- Home range: .22-3.2 ha
- Omnivorous, insectivorous
- Individuals forage alone but sleep in nests with related females
- Sleeping groups have overlapping home ranges with other sleeping groups
- During low food availability, can go into torpor (become inactive); some species store fat in their tails Twinning typical, offspring parked in holes or carried.
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Superfamily- Lemuroidea
Family- Cheirogaleidae
Genus- Mirza
Have..
- 2 Species- coquereli (Giant Mouse Lemur)Western and northwestern coastal forests
- 300 g
- Solitary foragers, communal sleepers
- Home range: 4 ha
- Omnivorous (likes to eat secretions of insect larvae)
- Solitary foragers but females have extensively overlapping home ranges with female relatives
- Male home ranges non-overlapping except during breeding season
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Superfamily- Lemuroidea
Family- Cheirogaleidae
Genus- Cheirogaleus
Have...
- 7 Species- medius (Fat-tailed Dwarf Lemur)Southwestern forests
- 75-400 g
- Solitary foragers, monogamous mating system
- Home range: 4 ha
- Omnivorous (likes to eat secretions of insect larvae)
- Males and females may share the same home range but forage separately
- Litters common; mother carries offspring in mouth
- Goes into torpor when food resources are low; stores fat in tail
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Superfamily- Lemuroidea
Family- Cheirogaleidae
Genus- Phaner
Have..
- 1 Species- furcifer (Fork-marked Lemur)Western, northern Madagascar
- 360-500 g
- Solitary foragers; male/female co-sleeping pairs
- Home range: 3.8-4 ha
- Gummivorous (eats gum from trees)
- One male and one female share the same exclusive home range but forage separately
- Nest in tree holes
- Male highly vocal
- Goal-directed foraging on gums (traplining)
- Tooth comb specialized for gouging holes in trees to get gum to flow
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Superfamily- Lemuroidea
Family- Cheirogaleidae
Genus- Allocebus
Have..
- 1 Species- trichotis (Hairy-eared dwarf Lemur)-Northeastern rainforest
- -75-80 g
- -Solitary foragers? Communal sleepers
- -Long tongue: nectivorous?
- -Fat storage over entire body, not just the tail
- -Diet: observed eating fruit, honey, locusts, and presumably nectar
- -Sleeps in holes with others (strepserrhini)
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Superfamily- Lemuroidea
Family- Lepilemuridae (Megaladapidae)
1 Genus- Lepilemur
Have..
- 26 Species-leucopus (White-footed Sportive Lemur)Southern dry forests
- 550 g
- Solitary foragers
- Home range: .18-.3 ha
- Highly folivorous (eats leaves)
- Missing both upper incisors
- Dentition: [incisor, canine, premolars, molars]-> 0133/2133 (top/bottom row)
- Caecotrophic: re-ingests fecal pellets (like a rabbits do) to increase acquisition of nutrients
- Folivory is unusual for such a small-bodied primate
- Social systems somewhat variable, ranging from solitary foraging to male/female pair foraging and solitary to co-sleeping
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