Cheirogaleus, commonly called the dwarf lemurs, is a genus of primate in the family Cheirogaleidae, order Primates, named by E. Geoffroy in 1812 and endemic to Madagascar. As of 2022 the genus contains ten known species, all native to Madagascar. Dwarf lemurs measure 19 to 27 centimeters in body length with tails about 16 to 17 centimeters long, sized between mouse lemurs and gentle lemurs. They inhabit the lower forest strata of eastern Madagascar coastal regions, are nocturnal and quadrupedal, and undergo a period of winter inactivity lasting four to five months, during which their tails, which store fat, are depleted as food grows scarce. They are solitary or paired animals that nest in tree holes, mark territory with feces and scent, feed mainly on fruits and flowers, and are believed to help pollinate some plant species. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Facts
Classification
Living or Extinct Taxonomic Rank In the Other Atlases
- Also in Geography Atlas: Madagascar, found in there.
Sources
1. Cheirogaleus (Wikipedia)
Introduction
The dwarf lemurs are the lemurs of the genus Cheirogaleus.
- Taxonomic rank (structure-wave classification, ruling 761/926)
- present tense, dwarf lemurs native to Madagascar
View the SourceWikidata: Cheirogaleus
Wikidata Q608001, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source Reader Challenges (0)
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