Grey mouse lemur, Lesser mouse lemur
The gray mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus ), grey mouse lemur or lesser mouse lemur, is a small lemur, a type of strepsirrhine primate, found only on the island of Madagascar. Weighing 58 to 67 grams (2.0 to 2.4 oz), it is the largest of the mouse lemurs (genus Microcebus ), a group that includes the smallest primates in the world. The species is named for its mouse-like size and coloration and is known locally (in Malagasy) as tsidy, koitsiky, titilivaha, pondiky, and vakiandry. The gray mouse lemur and all other mouse lemurs are considered cryptic species, as they are nearly indistinguishable from each other by appearance. For this reason, the gray mouse lemur was considered the only mouse lemur species for decades until more recent studies began to distinguish between the species.
Like all mouse lemurs, this species is nocturnal and arboreal. It is very active, and though it forages alone, groups of males and females form sleeping groups and share tree holes during the day. It exhibits a form of dormancy called torpor during the cool, dry winter months, and in some cases undergoes seasonal torpor (or hibernation), which is unusual for primates. The gray mouse lemur can be found in several types of forest throughout western and southern Madagascar. Its diet consists primarily of fruit, insects, flowers, and nectar. In the wild, its natural predators include owls, snakes, and endemic mammalian predators. Predation pressure is higher for this species than among any other primate species, with one out of four individuals taken by a predator each year. This is counterbalanced by its high reproductive rate. Breeding is seasonal, and distinct vocalizations are used to prevent hybridization with species that overlap its range. Gestation lasts approximately 60 days, and typically two young are born. The offspring are usually independent in two months, and can reproduce after one year. The gray mouse lemur has a reproductive lifespan of five years, although captive individuals have been reported to live up to 15 years.
Although threatened by deforestation, habitat degradation, and live capture for the pet trade, it is considered one of Madagascar's most abundant small native mammals. It can tolerate moderate food shortages by experiencing daily torpor to conserve energy, but extended food shortages due to climate change may pose a significant risk to the species.
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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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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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ScansorialScansorial animals are those that are adapted to or specialized for climbing. Many animals climb not only in tress but also in other habitats, such...
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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...
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ViviparousAmong 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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TerritorialA territory is a sociographical area that which an animal consistently defends against the conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against anima...
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TorporTorpor is a state of decreased physiological activity in an animal, usually marked by a reduced body temperature and metabolic rate. Torpor enables...
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PolygynandryPolygynandry is a mating system in which both males and females have multiple mating partners during a breeding season.
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PolyandryPolygyny is a mating system in which one female lives and mates with multiple males but each male only mates with a single female.
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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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Big-Eyed AnimalsThe Gray mouse lemur is a primate, not a rodent, despite its name and appearance. Currently not much is known about this species of lemur. The mouse lemurs are the smallest of the lemur species, with the gray mouse lemur being the largest of them. They are mostly gray in color, in a range of shades going from light to dark, with some changes in color at different times of the year. Gray mouse lemurs rely on their senses to survive, including good night vision and a keen sense of smell. Using a combination of these senses they are able to quickly avoid predators.
The Gray mouse lemur inhabits the western coasts and the south-eastern part of Madagascar and mostly occurs in deciduous or spiny forests, secondary forests, including plantations, and semi-arid thorn scrub.
Gray mouse lemurs are nocturnal and arboreal. In the daytime, they sleep in leaf nests or hollow trees and at night they hunt for food. They can be described as solitary but social. Females sleep in groups numbering two to nine, while males sleep alone or in twos. At night both genders go foraging alone. Activity times differ between the genders: in the dry season, the female is in hibernation for a long period, during which the energy conversion and metabolism functions are at a minimum. In this way, females often survive through the dry season when there is little food, whereas males remain active. A male has a home range that is twice as large as that of females, and this is expanded during the breeding season. Both genders exhibit territorial behavior and will mark their territories with urine and feces.
Gray mouse lemurs have an omnivorous diet. They eat small reptiles like chameleons and tree frogs, plants, leaves, flowers, and fruits.
The Gray mouse lemur has a polygynandrous (promiscuous) mating system, with both males and females having multiple mates, but studies show that females do show indirect mate selection behavior (selected polyandry). This study showed that during their one night of receptivity, females mated with 1–7 males, but avoided or counteracted males that tried to monopolize mating. The female uses a specific call of high frequency when ready for mating. The breeding season for these lemurs goes from September to March. Females typically produce twins, following a gestation period of about 60 days. They may give birth to two litters every year. Young reach independence in about two months, being able to breed before they are one year old. Related females typically stay in the same area once they reach maturity, whereas males disperse.
The Gray mouse lemur presently faces no significant threats and it is not thought to be at risk from extinction. However, because of the large-scale habitat loss throughout its range, due mainly to cattle grazing and agriculture, the population of gray mouse lemurs is likely to be in decline. This species is sometimes also hunted for the pet trade.
The IUCN Red List and other sources do not provide the Gray mouse lemur's total population size. However, it is amongst the most abundant, widespread, and adaptable of the lemur species. It is one of the least threatened as well. Overall, Gray mouse lemurs are classified on the IUCN Red List as Least Concern (LC) but their numbers today are decreasing.
The Gray mouse lemur may regulate populations of insects and small reptiles upon which it preys. To the extent that they are food for predators (owls, snakes), these lemurs may impact local food webs.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...