Microcebus

Microcebus, commonly called the mouse lemurs, is a genus of nocturnal primate in the family Cheirogaleidae, order Primates, named by Etienne Geoffroy in 1834 with the type species Lemur pusillus, and is endemic to Madagascar. Its members are among the smallest primates, measuring 20 to 30 centimeters in combined head, body and tail length and weighing 30 to 65 grams, with weight fluctuating seasonally according to daylight duration. The genus includes approximately 25 species, up from just two recognized in 1992, estimated to have evolved from a common ancestor between 18 and 11 million years ago; the IUCN has identified lemurs and mouse lemurs as among the most endangered of all vertebrates. Mouse lemurs are distributed across Madagascar in dry deciduous forests, sub-arid thorn scrubland, secondary forests, coastal areas and bamboo forests.