Data Summary
Since its establishment in 1966, the Duke Lemur Center has accumulated detailed records for over 4300 individuals from over 40 closely related yet biologically diverse prosimian primate taxa. Here we release verified data for over 3,700 of them, representing the 27 taxa in the table below. The large sample sizes, exact dates of events, and longitudinal data that in many cases span an animal’s entire life make these data sets unique, particularly within the primate literature. Visitors can download a life history table containing summarized species values for variables relating to ancestry, reproduction, longevity, and body mass, as well as two raw data files containing direct and calculated variables for the individual animals from which the summary table is built.
We hope that this single source for verified raw data and systematically compiled species values, particularly in combination with associated biological samples and the current live colony for non-invasive research—all available at the Duke Lemur Center—will support future studies from an enormous spectrum of investigators.
Read the full article here: nature.com/articles/sdata201419.
What’s New
As of February 2019, a new data update is now available for download! The updated raw data files contain additional animals, animal information, and weight data, and the life history tables have been recalculated after incorporating the new information. Please click below to see details of all additions and changes to the data. Both the original and updated files are now available on the download page. CLICK HERE to view the DLC Data Update details.
Original release date July 23, 2014. Updates released February 19, 2019.
How to Download
To download data, please click on the link below to be taken through a brief registration process. If you have previously registered, click on the registration link and you will be given the option to sign in using your email address and return directly to the data download page. CLICK HERE to register and download data.
The Duke Lemur Center requires identifying information about researchers, students, and educators who download data so that we can demonstrate levels of use to funding agencies. Your registration information will only be used by the DLC for these purposes and will not be shared with a third party.
What you will see on the data download page: Downloadable data and associated information are organized into four folders, listed below with the information you will find in each. There is a set of folders from the original release, and a new set of folders containing the updated files. New users should download the updated files; the original release files remain available as a reference for prior users.
Species_List_and_Data_Paper
*A list of the 27 species included, including taxonomic abbreviations
*A pdf version of the published paper (the pdf version does not contain all tables)
DLC_Life_History_Table_Folder
*Reference and analytic versions of the DLC life history table. The tables contain summary statistics for 91 different variables across 27 different strepsirrhine species. The summary values have been recalculated using the updated raw data sets described below. It may be easier to look up specific data points using the reference version (27 species columns x 91 variable rows). The analytic version (91 variable columns x 27 species rows), though more difficult to read, can be imported directly into statistical software for analysis. The reference version is only available via the DLC website.
*A list of variable descriptions and usage notes for the DLC Life History Table
DLC_Animal_List_Folder
*The DLC Animal List data file, containing 32 variables for 3,749 individuals representing 27 taxa in all stages of life. These are the raw data used to calculate longevity and reproductive variables in the life history tables.
*A list of variable descriptions and usage notes for the DLC Animal List data file
DLC_Weight_File_Folder
*The DLC Weight data file, containing 33 variables relating to 82,6109 weight measurements across 2270 individuals and 27 taxa. These are the raw data used to calculate body mass variables in the life history tables.
*A list of variable descriptions and usage notes for the DLC Weight data file
How to Cite
Zehr, SM, Roach RG, Haring D, Taylor J, Cameron FH, Yoder AD. Life history profiles for 27 strepsirrhine primate taxa generated using captive data from the Duke Lemur Center. Sci. Data 1:140019 doi: 10.1038/sdata.2014.19 (2014).
If publishing results generated from downloaded data, please include release date in citation.
Contact
For more information or to report errors, please contact the DLC Data Manager: amanda.mazza@duke.edu.
Data Includes…
Variables such as…
Body Mass,Ancestry,Reproduction,Longevity and mortality,Other
adult body mass,dam ID,gestation length,maximum age,biological samples available
young adult body mass,sire ID,breeding seasonality,median age at death,current colony inventory
neonatal body mass,birth institution,birth seasonality,infant mortality
, ,birth type,dam age at birth,,
,,sire age at birth,,
,,litter size,,
,,number of offspring,,
,,birth sex ratio,,
Species such as…
count,Taxon,Latin_Name,Common_Name
1,CMED,Cheirogaleus medius,Fat-tailed dwarf lemur
2,DMAD,Daubentonia madagascariensis,Aye-aye
3,EALB,Eulemur albifrons,White-fronted brown lemur
4,ECOL,Eulemur collaris,Collared brown lemur
5,ECOR,Eulemur coronatus,Crowned lemur
6,EFUL,Eulemur fulvus,Common brown lemur
7,EMF,Eulemur flavifrons,Blue-eyed black lemur
8,EMM,Eulemur macaco,Black lemur
9,EMON,Eulemur mongoz,Mongoose lemur
10,ERUB,Eulemur rubriventer,Red-bellied lemur
11,ERUF,Eulemur rufus,Red-fronted brown lemur
12,ESAN,Eulemur sanfordi,Sanford’s brown lemur
13,EUL,Eulemur,Eulemur hybrid
14,GMOH,Galago moholi,Mohol bushbaby
15,HGG,Hapalemur griseus griseus,Eastern lesser bamboo lemur
16,LCAT,Lemur catta,Ring-tailed lemur
17,LTAR,Loris tardigradus,Slender loris
18,MMUR,Mircocebus murinus,Gray mouse lemur
19,MZAZ,Mirza coquereli,Northern giant mouse lemur
20,NCOU,Nycticebus coucang,Slow loris
21,NPYG,Nycticebus pygmaeus,Pygmy slow loris
22,OGG,Otolemur garnettii garnettii,Northern greater galago
23,PCOQ,Propithecus coquereli,Coquerel’s sifaka
24,PPOT,Perodicticus potto,Potto
25,VAR,Varecia,Varecia hybrid
26,VRUB,Varecia rubra,Red ruffed lemur
27,VVV,Varecia variegata variegata,Black-and-white ruffed lemur
Funding
The DLC Database Project has been funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the National Science Foundation, the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center, the Duke Lemur Center and Duke University Natural Sciences.
