Red-bellied lemur
 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(February 2012) |
| Red-bellied lemur | |
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Scientific classification
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Primates |
| Suborder: | Strepsirrhini |
| Family: | Lemuridae |
| Genus: | Eulemur |
| Species: | E. rubriventer
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| Binomial name | |
| Eulemur rubriventer I. Geoffroy,1850[3]
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| Distribution ofE. rubriventer[1] | |
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Thered-bellied lemur(Eulemur rubriventer) is a medium-sizedstrepsirrhine primatewith a luxuriant chestnut brown coat. Thislemurisendemicto easternMadagascanrainforestsand is distinguished by patches of white skin below the eyes, giving rise to a "teardrop" effect, particularly conspicuous in the male.[4]
The species, first identified in 1850, exhibitsdiurnalbehaviour and markedsexual dimorphism.The red-bellied lemur has been studied extensively since the mid-1980s, primarily inRanomafana National Park.[5][6]This lemur species is designated asvulnerableaccording to theIUCN Red List,due to threats endangering habitats fromslash-and-burnagriculture in Madagascar.
Etymology
[edit]The variousMalagasynames for the red-bellied lemur includetongo,tagona,halomena,kirioka,andsoamiera.In the French scientific literature (Madagascar's second official language is French, due to prior colonisation by France), the species is calledlémur à ventre rouge.[citation needed]
Description
[edit]Being sexually dimorphic, the male of the species exhibits a medium-long, densedorsalcoat of intense chestnut brown.Ventrally,he is lighter and redder in hue, while his tail,muzzleand head are black. For the female, the dorsal area and tail resemble the male, whereas the ventralfuris a contrasting white-cream colour. Facial markings are similar to the male, except that "tear drops" are less exaggerated and spiry thick cheek hairs of the male are absent. Whereas the genusEulemurrelatives may exhibitear tuftsor a furry beard, these features are absent forE. rubriventer,which has thickened fur around its ears, lending a fuller facial appearance.[citation needed]
The adult red-bellied lemur has a length of 34 to 40 cm (13 to 16 in) (excluding tail) and a tail length which is almost twenty percent longer than the body itself; that is, body plus tail length may attain a total length of almost 1 m (3 ft 3 in). Typical body mass of a mature individual ranges from 1.6 to 2.4 kg (3.5 to 5.3 lb).[7]The male hasscent glandsatop his head. Lifespans may easily exceed 20 years for both sexes.[citation needed]
Range and distribution
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E. rubriventeroccurs as far north as theTsaratananaMassif at an elevation of 2,400 m (7,900 ft), then southerly to theManampatranaRiver in a narrow strip of eastern Madagascarrainforest.[3]In previous eras, its range extended further south to the Mananara River. This species is distributed thinly and is restricted only to intact rainforest; it does not occur at all on the Masolala Peninsula.[citation needed]
The red-bellied lemur issympatricwith four otherEulemurspecies: in the extreme north of its range, thewhite-headed lemurE. albifrons;at mid-range, thecommon brown lemurE. fulvus;and in its southern range, thered-fronted brown lemurE. rufusand thegray-headed lemurE. cinereiceps.E. rubriventeris, however, easily distinguished from these relatives by the male's distinctive white eye "tear drops" and the rich darkness of the fur of both sexes. A distinction of appearance occurs withinE. rubriventerin that northern range males (e.g.Mantadia National Parknorth) have a more distinctive reddish belly than the southern range counterparts, as in Ranomafana National Park.[8]
The forest type within the red-bellied lemur's range is characterized by dense evergreen vegetation, with a canopy of 25 to 35 m (82 to 115 ft). Typical canopy genera includeDalbergia,Diospyros,Ocotea,Symphonia,andTambourissa;emergents ofCanarium,AlbiziaandNeobrochoneura acuminataare also present. The eastern lowland forests also have a rich diversity ofPandanus,bamboo,and epiphyticorchidspecies.[citation needed]
Behaviour
[edit]The red-bellied lemur aggregates inmonogamousgroups ranging from two to 10 individuals. It is one of the few lemurs to be recognized ascathemeral,having bothdiurnalandnocturnalactivity patterns. The home range is estimated to be 25 to 35acres(10 to 14ha) with a typical density of five animals per acre. Groups are typically cohesive as they move within their home range, foraging on over 30 species of plants. Considered by some to be afrugivore,it also feeds on leaves,nectar,and flowers of many plant species; this lemur is believed to be a useful and efficientseeddisperser.[citation needed]
A typical and maximum frequency of births is one offspring per female per year, with initial year infant mortality around 50%. Births normally occur in October and November (early summer in this Southern Hemisphere habitat). The young use theirprehensileinstinctsto attach to the mother and father alternately for the first 33 to 37 days of life. At this point, the mother often refuses further transport services, whilst the father may continue to provide such for another 9 weeks.[citation needed]
Conservation
[edit]Modern feeding habits have expanded the species' diet to the introduced "Chinese" (actuallyBrazilian)guava(Psidium cattleyanum). Groups of the red-bellied lemur have become somewhat habituated to humans along certain trail areas in Ramomafana National Park (around Belle Vue) starting in May and June, and much rarer in some lower trail areas of Montadia National Park starting in April. In both instances, the species exhibits a tame behaviour to approaching humans who are silent and walk softly. The animals will descend from the trees to within 2–3 m (6.6–9.8 ft), staring back at the humans with equal curiosity allowing themselves to be photographed as they cling to vertical trunks of saplings, and occasionally engaging in aterrestrialscamper.[citation needed]
E. rubriventeroccurs in five national parks and seven special reserves in eastern Madagascar, but is classified as vulnerable (IUCN Red List) due to ongoing habitat reduction from slash-and-burnfarming,illegal logging,and evenhunting.The species is the subject of current study in its natural habitat as well as in captivity in research centers such as theDuke Lemur Center.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^abIrwin, M.; King, T.; Ravoloharimanitra, M.; Razafindramanana, J.; Tecot, S. (2021) [amended version of 2020 assessment]."Eulemur rubriventer".IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.2021:e.T8203A189740044.Retrieved6 April2021.
- ^"Checklist of CITES Species".CITES.UNEP-WCMC.Retrieved18 March2015.
- ^abGroves, C. P.(2005).Wilson, D. E.;Reeder, D. M. (eds.).Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference(3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 116.ISBN0-801-88221-4.OCLC62265494.
- ^Russell Mittermeieret al.,Lemurs of Madagascar,Conservation Press (2006)
- ^B. Meier,Preliminary report of a field study of Lemur rubriventer and Hapalemar simus (nov. species) in Ranomafana-Itandiana(1986-87) Report to Ministry of Scientific Research, 312 Faritany Fianaransoa, Antananarivo, Madagascar
- ^C. Dague and J.J. Peter,Observations sur le Lemur ruriventer dans son milieu naturel,In: L. Rakotovao,L’Equilibre des Ecosystems Forestiers a Madagascar: Actes d’un seminaire internationalIUCN, Gland Switz and Cambridge (1988)
- ^Glander, K.E.; et al. (1992). "Morphometrics andtesticlesize ofrainforestlemur species from southeastern Madagascar ".Journal of Human Evolution.22:1–17.
- ^Lumina Technologies,Observations, behavior and marking ofEulemur rubriventer,Letter report to the Ministry of Scientific Research.Antananarivo, Madagascar, 19 April 2006
External links
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