Giant aye-aye

Giant aye-aye
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Suborder: Strepsirrhini
Family: Daubentoniidae
Genus: Daubentonia
Species: †D. robusta
Binomial name
Daubentonia robusta
Lamberton, 1935

The giant aye-aye (Daubentonia robusta) is an extinct relative of the aye-aye, the only other species in the genus Daubentonia. It lived in Madagascar, appears to have disappeared less than 1,000 years ago, is entirely unknown in life, and is only known from subfossil remains.[1]

As of 2004, giant aye-aye remains consisted of 4 incisors, a tibia, and postcranial material.[2] Subfossils of this species have been found in the southern and southeastern portion of Madagascar, outside of the range of still extant aye-aye.[3] Giant aye-ayes are believed to be very similar morphologically to the aye-aye, but 2 to 2.5 times larger, based upon jaw and incisor measurements.[3]

References

  1. ^ Nowak, R. M. (editor) (1999). Walker's Mammals of the World, 6th edition. Baltimore, Md.: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 533–534 (vol. 1). ISBN 0801857899. 
  2. ^ Quinn, Aleta; Wilson, Don E. (2004). "Daubentonia madagascariensis". Mammalian Species 740: 1–6. doi:10.1644/740. 
  3. ^ a b Simons, EL (1994). "The giant aye-aye Daubentonia robusta". Folia Pimaol (Basel) 52 (1-3): 14–21. PMID 7721200.