Weasel Sportive Lemur

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Weasel Sportive Lemur[1]
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Suborder: Strepsirrhini
Family: Lepilemuridae
Genus: Lepilemur
Species: L. mustelinus
Binomial name
Lepilemur mustelinus
I. Geoffroy, 1851

The Weasel Sportive Lemur (Lepilemur mustelinus), also known as the Weasel Lemur or Greater Weasel Lemur, is a species of lemur native to northeastern Madagascar. Its habitat includes rainforests and tropical rainforests. Its dorsal side is a reddish-brown colour, and greyish brown ventrally. Its color darkens towards the tip of its tail. It has long, soft fur. It has an average body length of 12-14 inches (30-35 cm) and a tail length of 10-12 inches (25-30 cm)

The Weasel Sportive Lemur is predominantly a leaf-eater, although it supplements its diet with fruits and flowers. It is an arboreal species, and travels through the trees by leaping. As with other leaping primates, it has stereoscopic vision that enables it to determine distances precisely. Weasel Lemur groups consist solely of a mother and its offspring; the males are solitary, and are very territorial. Each Weasel Sportive Lemur occupies a territory of 1/2 to 1 1/4 acres (1500 to 5000 m²). Like other lemurs, they are nocturnal.

[edit] References

Wikispecies has information related to:
  1. ^ Groves, Colin (16 November 2005). in Wilson, D. E., and Reeder, D. M. (eds): Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition, Johns Hopkins University Press, 118-119. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. 
  2. ^ Ganzhorn et al (2000). Lepilemur mustelinus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is near threatened
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