Gray Mouse Lemur
Mouse lemur monologue
Hello. My name is Anne, and I am addicted to mouse lemurs —- or perhaps I should say, to studying mouse lemurs, or maybe more specifically, to the genes of mouse lemurs. It all started back in the late 1990′s when I began a collaboration with my friend and colleague, Steve Goodman (Madagascar Field Biologist Extraordinaire). Steve wrote to...
A State of Wonder
One of the aye-aye births at the Duke Lemur Center set a record in the species for reproductive longevity. The dam was estimated to be 26 years old at conception. The sire was 28 years old. 2010 also brought the first mouse lemur births at the Duke Lemur Center in more than 14 years. In...
Ode to the grey mouse lemur – or a technician’s terror
The following is the product of a Primate Technician sitting in the dark, observing the mating process of a roomful of mouse lemurs, charged with seeing that all the lemurs end up well and healthy. Don’t worry. All ends well. by Bevan Clark Springtime has sprung The flowers in bloom And here I sit in...
Overview
At one time in the fairly recent past, the genus Microcebus was thought to contain just two species with non overlapping ranges: the gray mouse lemur (M.murinus) found in the drier regions of the north, west and south and the rufous or brown mouse lemur (M.rufus) of the humid rainforest regions of the east. However,...
Feeding
The gray mouse lemur is a solitary forager. It feeds primarily on insects (mostly beetles), fruit, flowers and...
Fact Sheet
Order: Primates; Suborder: Prosimii Family: Cheirogaleidae; Genus: Microcebus Species: murinus Related Species There are now nine recognized species of mouse lemur, including the smallest living primate, the pygmy mouse lemur (Microcebus myoxinus). Key Facts Adult Size : 1 ½ – 3 ounces Social life : Solitary forager, strictly nocturnal, sleeps in groups Habitat : western...
Reproduction
In the wild, mating occurs in mid-September, and infants are born 59 – 62 days later in November. The infants, usually twins, are born in a leaf nest or tree hole, and are carried in their mother’s mouth if moving them becomes necessary. Infants are independent at two...
Social Behavior
Gray mouse lemurs are nocturnal, solitary foragers who congregate at daytime sleeping sites. Females and dependent offspring will sleep in groups of up to 15. Home ranges of females are grouped into core areas and one male’s home range can overlap those of several females. Females are considered to be dominant over males, giving them...
Habitat/Conservation
Gray mouse lemurs are found throughout the dry deciduous forests from Majunga in the northwest to Tulear in the southwest. A disjunct population has also been identified in the southeast near Fort Dauphin. The gray mouse lemur is one of the most widespread, abundant and adaptable lemur species. It is also among the least threatened....
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