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Information about Sportive Lemur

Sportive lemurs[1]
Enlarge picture
Red-tailed Sportive Lemur
(L. ruficaudatus)

Red-tailed Sportive Lemur
(L. ruficaudatus)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Mammalia
Order:Primates
Suborder:Strepsirrhini
Infraorder:Lemuriformes
Superfamily:Lemuroidea
Family:Lepilemuridae
Gray, 1870
Genus:Lepilemur
I. Geoffroy, 1851
Type species
Lepilemur mustelinus
I. Geoffroy
Species


over 20, see text


The sportive lemurs are the medium sized primates that make up the Lepilemuridae family. The family consists of only one extant genus, Lepilemur, as well as the extinct genus Megaladapis. They are closely related to the other lemurs and exclusively live on the island of Madagascar. For a time, this family was named Megaladapidae, but the current name was given precedence.

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.

Sportive lemurs are strictly nocturnal and predominantly arboreal, moving among the trees with long jumps powered by their strong hind legs. On the ground, they hop similarly as the kangaroos. During the day they hide in the leafy covering or tree hollows. Sportive lemurs are solitary but defend their territory vehemently against same sex intruders. The territories of males and females can overlap.

They are mainly herbivores and their diet consists predominantly of leaves.

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

* New species according to molecular analysis[2]

** New species according to molecular analysis[3]

*** New species according to molecular analysis[4]

External links

References

1. ^ Groves, Colin (16 November 2005). in Wilson, D. E., and Reeder, D. M. (eds): Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition, Johns Hopkins University Press, 117-119. ISBN 0-801-88221-4.2005&rft.edition=3rd%20edition&rft.pub=Johns%20Hopkins%20University%20Press&rft.pages=117-119&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fnmnhgoph.si.edu%2Fmsw%2F"> 
2. ^ 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. 
3. ^ 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" (PDF). Texas Tech University Special Publications (49): 1-49. 
4. ^ Mathias Craul, Elke Zimmermann, Solofo Rasoloharijaona, Blanchard Randrianambinina and Ute Radespiel (2007-05-31). "Unexpected species diversity of Malagasy primates (Lepilemur spp.) in the same biogeographical zone: a morphological and molecular approach with the description of two new species". BMC Evolutionary Biology 7: 83. DOI:10.1186/1471-2148-7-83. 


 •  • [ e]
Extant primate families by suborder
StrepsirrhiniCheirogaleidae · Lemuridae · Lepilemuridae · Indriidae · Daubentoniidae · Lorisidae · Galagidae
HaplorrhiniTarsiidae · Cebidae · Aotidae · Pitheciidae · Atelidae · Cercopithecidae · Hylobatidae · Hominidae
L. ruficaudatus

Binomial name
Lepilemur ruficaudatus
Grandidier, 1867

The Red-tailed Sportive Lemur (Lepilemur ruficaudatus) is, like all lemurs, native to Madagascar.
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Scientific classification or biological classification is a method by which biologists group and categorize species of organisms. Scientific classification also can be called scientific taxonomy, but should be distinguished from folk taxonomy, which lacks scientific basis.
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Chordata
Bateson, 1885

Typical Classes

See below

Chordates (phylum Chordata) are a group of animals that includes the vertebrates, together with several closely related invertebrates.
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Mammalia
Linnaeus, 1758

Subclasses & Infraclasses
  • Subclass †Allotheria*
  • Subclass Prototheria
  • Subclass Theria

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Primates
Linnaeus, 1758

Families
  • 15, See classification
A primate is any member of the biological order Primates, the group that contains all the species commonly related to the lemurs, monkeys, and apes, with the last category
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Strepsirrhini
E. Geoffroy, 1812

Families
Cheirogaleidae
Lemuridae
Lepilemuridae
Indriidae
Daubentoniidae (Aye-aye)
Lorisidae
Galagidae

The Strepsirrhini clade is one of the two suborders of primates.
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Lemuriformes
Gray, 1821

Superfamilies and Families
  • Cheirogaleoidea
  • Cheirogaleidae
  • Lemuroidea
  • Lemuridae

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John Edward Gray

Born January 12 1800(1800--)
Walsall, England
Died March 07 1875 (aged 75)

Nationality British
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Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (December 16, 1805 - November 10, 1861) was a French zoologist and an authority on deviation from normal structure. He coined the term ethology.

He was born in Paris, the son of Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire.
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In biology, a type is that which fixes a name to a taxon. Depending on the nomenclature code which is applied to the organism in question, a type may be a specimen, culture, illustration, description or taxon.
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L. mustelinus

Binomial name
Lepilemur mustelinus
I. Geoffroy, 1851

The Weasel Sportive Lemur (Lepilemur mustelinus), also known as the Weasel Lemur or Greater Weasel Lemur
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Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (December 16, 1805 - November 10, 1861) was a French zoologist and an authority on deviation from normal structure. He coined the term ethology.

He was born in Paris, the son of Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire.
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species is one of the basic units of biological classification. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring.
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Primates
Linnaeus, 1758

Families
  • 15, See classification
A primate is any member of the biological order Primates, the group that contains all the species commonly related to the lemurs, monkeys, and apes, with the last category
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extinction is the cessation of existence of a species or group of taxa, reducing biodiversity. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species (although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point).
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Megaladapis (extinct)
Forsyth Major, 1894

Paleospecies
Subgenus Peloriadapis
  • M. edwardsi
Subgenus ''Megaladapis
  • M. madagascariensis
  • M.

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Lemuriformes
Gray, 1821

Superfamilies and Families
  • Cheirogaleoidea
  • Cheirogaleidae
  • Lemuroidea
  • Lemuridae

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Motto
Tanindrazana, Fahafahana, Fandrosoana   (Malagasy)
Patrie, liberté, progrès   (French)
"Ancestral-land, Liberty, Progress"
Anthem

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nocturnality describes sleeping during the daytime and being active at night - the opposite of the diurnal human lifestyle, and that of those animals with which we are most familiar. The intermediate crepuscular schedule (twilight activity) is also common.
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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 bushes.
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Editing of this page by unregistered or newly registered users is currently disabled due to vandalism.
If you are prevented from editing this page, and you wish to make a change, please discuss changes on the talk page, request unprotection, log in, or .
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Herbivory is a form of predation in which an organism known as an herbivore, consumes principally autotrophs[1] such as plants, algae and photosynthesizing bacteria.
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Primates
Linnaeus, 1758

Families
  • 15, See classification
A primate is any member of the biological order Primates, the group that contains all the species commonly related to the lemurs, monkeys, and apes, with the last category
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Strepsirrhini
E. Geoffroy, 1812

Families
Cheirogaleidae
Lemuridae
Lepilemuridae
Indriidae
Daubentoniidae (Aye-aye)
Lorisidae
Galagidae

The Strepsirrhini clade is one of the two suborders of primates.
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Cheirogaleoidea
Gray, 1873
Family: Cheirogaleidae
Gray, 1873

Genera
Cheirogaleus
Microcebus
Mirza
Allocebus
Phaner

Cheirogaleidae
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Lemuridae
Gray, 1821

Genera

Lemur
Eulemur
Hapalemur
Prolemur
Varecia

Lemuridae
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Megaladapis (extinct)
Forsyth Major, 1894

Paleospecies
Subgenus Peloriadapis
  • M. edwardsi
Subgenus ''Megaladapis
  • M. madagascariensis
  • M.

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L. dorsalis

Binomial name
Lepilemur dorsalis
Gray, 1870

The Gray-backed Sportive Lemur (Lepilemur dorsalis) is a species of lemur in the Lepilemuridae family.
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L. dorsalis

Binomial name
Lepilemur dorsalis
Gray, 1870

The Gray-backed Sportive Lemur (Lepilemur dorsalis) is a species of lemur in the Lepilemuridae family.
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