Greater Bamboo Lemur

Taxobox
name = Greater Bamboo LemurMSW3 Groves | pages = 117]


status = CR
status_system = iucn3.1
status_ref = IUCN2006 | assessors = Ganzhorn, J. & Members of the Primate Specialist Group | year = 2000 | id = 9674 | title = Hapalemur simus | downloaded = 2007-07-29]
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Mammalia
ordo = Primates
familia = Lemuridae
genus = "Prolemur"
genus_authority = Gray, 1871
species = "P. simus"
binomial = "Prolemur simus"
binomial_authority = (Gray, 1871)

The Greater Bamboo Lemur ("Prolemur simus") is a large, greyish brown lemur with white ear tufts. It feeds almost exclusively on Giant Bamboo, preferring the shoots but also eating the pith and leaves. It is not known how their metabolism deals with the cyanide found in the shoots; their typical daily dose would be enough to kill humans. Its only confirmed predator is the Fossa, but raptors are also suspected. Its range is only southeastern Madagascar.

The species may be the only lemur in which the male is dominant, although this is not definitively established. Males have been observed taking the pith away from females that have put significant effort into opening the bamboo stems. [cite journal | last = Conniff | first = Richard | title = For the Love of Lemurs | journal = Smithsonian | volume = 37 | issue = 1 | pages = 102–109 | publisher = Smithsonian Institution | month = April | year = 2006 ]

References

External links

* http://info.bio.sunysb.edu/rano.biodiv/Mammals/Hapalemur-simus/index.html
* http://www.arkive.org/species/GES/mammals/Hapalemur_sinus/more_info.html
* http://www.animalinfo.org/species/primate/hapasimu.htm