Red-tailed sportive lemur

Red-tailed sportive lemur[1]
Red-tailed sportive lemur in Kirindy Forest
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Suborder: Strepsirrhini
Family: Lepilemuridae
Genus: Lepilemur
Species: L. ruficaudatus
Binomial name
Lepilemur ruficaudatus
Grandidier, 1867
Red-tailed sportive lemur range
Synonyms
  • pallidicauda Gray, 1873

The red-tailed sportive lemur (Lepilemur ruficaudatus), or red-tailed weasel lemur, is native to Madagascar like all lemurs. It is a nocturnal species feeding largely on leaves, though they also eat some fruit. Individuals weigh around 800 grams, and there is little sexual dimorphism. In general they live in mated pairs, with a home range of about 10,000 square metres. Both members of the pair use the same home range, and there is little overlap between the home ranges of neighbouring pairs. Travel distances each night are between 100 metres and 1 km, making this a relatively inactive species. This species can be found in the Madagascar dry deciduous forests.

References

  1. ^ Groves, C. (2005). Wilson, D. E., & Reeder, D. M, eds. ed. Mammal Species of the World (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 119. OCLC 62265494. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3/browse.asp?id=12100073. 
  2. ^ Hoffmann, M. (2008). Lepilemur ruficaudatus. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 1 January 2009.