Southern Woolly Lemur

Taxobox
name = Southern Woolly Lemur
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Mammalia
ordo = Primates
familia = Indriidae
genus = "Avahi"
species = "A. meridionalis"
binomial = "Avahi meridionalis"
binomial_authority = Zaramody et al., 2006The Southern Woolly Lemur ("Avahi meridionalis") has been recently recognized as a separate species of woolly lemur in 2006 by Zaramody et al.cite journal | author = Zaramody A., Fausser J.-L., Roos C., Zinner D., Andriaholinirina N., Rabarivola C., Norscia I., Tattersall I., and Rumpler Y | title = Molecular phylogeny and taxonomic revision of the eastern woolly lemur (Avahi laniger)| journal = Primate Report | volume = 74 | year = 2006 | pages = 9-22 ] It is a nocturnal and pair-living species. Groups can range from 2 (the parental pair only) to 5 individuals (including the offspring of subsequent years). cite journal | author = Norscia I., Borgognini-Tarli S.B. | title = Ranging behavior and possible correlates of pair-living in Southeastern Avahis (Madagascar)| journal = International Journal of Primatology | volume = 29 | year = 2008 | pages = 123-171 ]

Distribution

The species is restricted to the reserve of Andohahela and the area of Sainte Luce. Further studies are required to determine the exact distribution range and especially the limits with its sister species Peyrieras' Woolly Lemur ("A. peyrierasi"). In southeastern littoral forests, sympatric lemur species of "Avahi meridionalis" are the Brown Mouse Lemur ("Microcebus rufus"), the Greater Dwarf Lemur ("Cheirogaleus major"), the Fat-tailed Dwarf Lemur "Cheirogaleus medius" and the Collared Brown Lemur ("Eulemur collaris") in Sainte Luce Forest,cite journal | author = Bollen A., Donati G.| title = Conservation status of the littoral forest of south-eastern Madagascar: a review |journal = Oryx| volume = 40 | year = 2006 | pages = 57-66 ] and the Southern Lesser Bamboo Lemur ("Hapalemur meridionalis") in Mandena Forest.cite journal | author = Fausser, J., Donati, G., Ramanamanjato, J. and Rumpler, Y. | title = Phylogenetic relationships between Hapalemur species and subspecies based on mitochondrial DNA sequences|journal = BMC Evol Biol.| volume = 2 | year = 2002 | pages = 1-9 ]

Description

Dorsal fur is grey-brown toning down to light grey distally, while ventrum is grey. The tail is red-brown and darkens distally. The Southern Woolly Lemur has a mean weight of kg to lb|1.2|abbr=yes|wiki=yes|precision=1 for females and kg to lb|1.1|abbr=yes|precision=1 for males, with a mean head-body length of cm to in|27|abbr=yes|wiki=yes|precision=1 and cm to in|25|abbr=yes|precision=1 for females and males, respectively.

Diet

The Southern Woolly Lemur is a leaf eater and feeds mainly on young and adult leaves but also on buds and, rarely, on flowers.

Conservation

The Southern Woolly Lemur lives primarily in fragments of south-eastern rain littoral forest of Madagascar (Mandena and Sainte Luce). Degradation level, more than fragment size, seems to affect density and birth rates of the populations of this species.cite journal | author = Norscia I. | title = Pilot survey of avahi population (woolly lemurs) in littoral forest fragments of southeast Madagascar.| journal = Primates| volume = 49 | year = 2008 | pages = 85-88 ]

References

External links

* [http://sun.menloschool.org/~djensen/madagascar/communities/florafauna/avahi2.jpgImage of female and young]
* [http://pin.primate.wisc.edu/factsheets/links/avahi Primate Info Net "Avahi" Factsheets]
* [http://www.newscientist.com/channel/life/mg18825252.400.html "Avahi cleesei" report]