Lemurs are a type of primate native only to the island of Madagascar where around 60 different species can currently be found. These creatures come in a variety of shapes and sizes but perhaps the most recognizable species of lemur is the ring-tailed lemur. The existing species of lemur can be divided into five different families for easy classification.
Aye-Ayes
The Daubentonidae family of lemurs includes the aye-aye, one of the strangest lemurs in existence. About the size of a house cat, the aye-aye is the largest nocturnal primate in the world and it resides primarily on the east coast of Madagascar. The aye-aye has long teeth that grow continuously and a long, thin middle finger used to scoop up insects and nutmeat. The only species of aye-aye that currently exists is classified as Near Threatened by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature though a second species of aye-aye is said to have become extinct sometime within the last millennium.
Mouse and Dwarf Lemurs
A variety of mouse lemurs and dwarf lemurs belong to the family Cheirogaleidae. Species of dwarf lemur include the Coquerel's, fat-tailed, greater, hairy-eared and fork-marked dwarf lemurs that range in size between 19 and 27 centimeters in body length with a tail around 16 centimeters long. Mouse lemur species include the gray mouse lemur and the brown mouse lemur, both of which have a combined body and tail length of less than 27 centimeters. Both mouse lemurs and dwarf lemurs are nocturnal.
Sportive Lemurs
Several species of sportive lemurs belong to the family Lepilemuridae that was once called Megaladapidae. The lemurs in this family are medium-sized and typically gray or reddish brown in color with small heads and large, round ears. Sportive lemurs are nocturnal creatures that travel throughout the forest by hopping along on the ground and jumping from tree to tree with their powerful hind legs. As herbivores, the diet of sportive lemurs consists mainly of leaves and other vegetation. Some species of sportive lemur include the white-footed, weasel and red-tailed sportive lemur.
True Lemurs
The family Lemuridae, also referred to as the family of "true lemurs," consists of 18 species of lemur including the ring-tailed lemur. Most lemurs in this family have reddish brown fur and they range in size between 30 and 50 cm in body length with a tail that can be even longer than the body. True lemurs are primarily diurnal and the various species can be found in either the rain forests or dry forests of Madagascar. Other species of true lemur include the black lemur, brown lemur, mongoose lemur, Sanford's brown lemur, and the black and white ruffed lemur.
Indri and Sifaka
The Indriidae family of lemurs consists of 13 species of Indri, avahi and sifaka, which are some of the largest lemurs in existence. Avahi are typically medium in size, growing only 30 cm in length, but Indri can grow to be quite large. The members of this family of lemur vary in appearance as well as size. Indri have short, stubby tails while sifaka have tails as long as their bodies. Lemurs in the Indriidae family typically have long fur that can be reddish, whitish, or gray with bald, black faces. Some species belonging to this family include the Western avahi, Indri, silky sifaka and the crowned sifaka.
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