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Ranging in size from the 30 g (1.1 oz) Madame Berthe's mouse lemur, the world's smallest primate, [48] to the extinct 160–200 kg (350–440 lb) Archaeoindris fontoynonti, [49] lemurs evolved diverse forms of locomotion, varying levels of social complexity, and unique adaptations to the local climate.
The name lemur is derived from the Latin term ... the lemurs did not have to compete with other evolving arboreal ... [31] lemurs evolved diverse forms of ...
Ranging in size from the 30 g (1.1 oz) Madame Berthe's mouse lemur, probably the world's smallest primate, [2] to the extinct 160–200 kg (350–440 lb) Archaeoindris fontoynonti, the largest known prosimian, [3] [4] [5] lemurs evolved diverse forms of locomotion, varying levels of social complexity, and unique adaptations to the local climate.
This demonstrates that lemur species such as the lemur catta and the common brown lemur were forced to switch their primary diet to a group of secondary food sources. [ 9 ] With most lemurids, the mother gives birth to one or two young after a gestation period of between 120 and 140 days, depending on species.
Archaeoindris fontoynontii is an extinct giant lemur and the largest primate known to have evolved on Madagascar, comparable in size to a male gorilla.It belonged to a family of extinct lemurs known as "sloth lemurs" (Palaeopropithecidae) and, because of its extremely large size, it has been compared to the ground sloths that once roamed North and South America.
The French naturalist Pierre Sonnerat was the first to use the vernacular name "aye-aye" in 1782 when he described and illustrated the lemur, though it was also called the "long-fingered lemur" by English zoologist George Shaw in 1800—a name that did not stick.
The common brown lemur (Eulemur fulvus) can swallow seeds 20 mm (0.79 in) in diameter, while the black-and-white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata) is capable of swallowing seeds up to 30 mm (1.2 in) in diameter. A large lemur, such as Pachylemur, which was more than twice the size of today's ruffed lemurs, could probably swallow even larger seeds.
In isolation, the lemurs diversified and filled the niches often filled by monkeys and apes today. [14] In Africa, the lorises and galagos diverged during the Eocene, approximately 40 mya. [11] Unlike the lemurs in Madagascar, they have had to compete with monkeys and apes, as well as other mammals. [15]