Rufous mouse lemur, Eastern rufous mouse lemur, Russet mouse lemur, Red mouse lemur
The brown mouse lemur (Microcebus rufus ) is a small primate, and like the other mouse lemurs can only be found on the island of Madagascar. They are known also as the rufous mouse lemur, eastern rufous mouse lemur, red mouse lemur, or russet mouse lemur. Its dorsal side is brown or reddish-brown, while ventrally it is a whitish-grey.
It was originally considered a subspecies of the gray mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus ) until 1977, when it was reclassified as a separate species.
The mouse lemurs are among the shortest-lived of primates. The brown mouse lemur has a lifespan of 6–8 years in the wild, although it averages 12 years under human care.
It can be found in rainforests in Eastern Madagascar, and is widely distributed. It is a solitary and nocturnal creature. Brown mouse lemurs are mammals.
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NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
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FrugivoreA frugivore is an animal that thrives mostly on raw fruits or succulent fruit-like produce of plants such as roots, shoots, nuts, and seeds. Approx...
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OmnivoreAn omnivore is an animal that has the ability to eat and survive on both plant and animal matter. Obtaining energy and nutrients from plant and ani...
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ArborealArboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some anima...
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AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
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ZoochoryZoochory animals are those that can disperse plant seeds in several ways. Seeds can be transported on the outside of vertebrate animals (mostly mam...
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Island endemicIsland endemic animals are found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island. Animals or organisms that are indigenous to a place ar...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Among animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
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PolygynyPolygyny is a mating system in which one male lives and mates with multiple females but each female only mates with a single male.
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SolitaryDo
Dominance hierarchyA dominance hierarchy (formerly and colloquially called a pecking order) is a type of social hierarchy that arises when members of animal social gr...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withThe Brown mouse lemur is amongst the smallest species of lemur in the world. Considered a gray mouse lemur subspecies until 1977, it was then reclassified as its own species. It is also known as the Eastern rufous mouse lemur, the Rufous mouse lemur, or the Russet mouse lemur. Its dorsal side is brown or reddish-brown, while ventrally it is a whitish-grey. It is under threat of extinction because of habitat in the marshes of forests where it lives.
The range of the Brown mouse lemur includes areas in the north and east of Madagascar. They occur in the many parts of Madagascar that are protected, including Ranomafana National Park, Montagne d’ Ambre National Park, Zahamena Nature Reserve and Marojeiy Nature Reserve. These lemurs live in primary and secondary forest areas, including secondary bamboo forests and the forest fringes of coastal rainforests.
Brown mouse lemurs are strictly nocturnal and live solitary lives, apart from during the breeding season, and mothers with their babies. During the day they sleep in tree holes or in nests in large groups of females with their dependent offspring. These lemurs maintain an extended harem system. The territories of males are around 200 meters in diameter, overlapping two or more female territories. Subdominant males are found on the edges of the territories of dominant males. Females have home ranges that are slightly smaller than the ones that males have. From May through September, this species is in a state of torpor, during which they can lose 5 to 35 g of weight and their tail circumference decreases from 4 to 12 mm, the latter change because their tail is a major reservoir of fat, and during torpor their reserves are depleted. Females usually stay in torpor for longer than males.
Brown mouse lemurs are primarily frugivores, although they also eat insects, flowers, young leaves, and gum, and possibly pollen and nectar.
Brown mouse lemurs are polygynous, which means that one male mates with multiple females. A ritualistic courtship before mating involves a male making soft squeaking calls and lashing his tail to attract a female. The mating season is from September to October. Gestation lasts for about 60 days and births generally take place in November and December, 1 to 3 offspring being born per litter. Weaning takes place at about 2 months of age, and in captivity, females may give birth to 2 litters per year. A developing offspring will start to play with its mother, by chasing her and jumping onto her hands and feet, helping it to develop its locomotion skills. In the winter following their birth, males leave the areas where they were born. Brown mouse lemurs are sexually mature after the age of one year.
The primary threat to Brown mouse lemurs is loss of habitat due to slash-and-burn methods. They are also threatened within their habitat by natural predators.
The IUCN Red List and other sources do not provide a number for the Brown mouse lemur total population size. However, according to the IUCN Red List, around 7,762 individuals have been estimated within Ranomafana National Park. Currently Brown mouse lemurs are classified as Vulnerable (VU) and their numbers today are decreasing.
Brown mouse lemurs have an important role in dispersing the seeds from the fruits they eat. As prey for other species, they may also have an effect on predator populations.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...