Hairy-eared Dwarf Lemur (Allocebus trichotis)

MORPHOLOGY:
This species has teeth like the fork-crowned lemur Phaner furcifer. But the teeth of this species are unique in that the second and third upper molars are caniniform and the first upper incisor is enlarged (Groves, 1989). On the digits the nails are keeled (Fleagle, 1988). The hairy-eared dwarf lemur also has a galago-like ear, this may mean that it, and other cheirogalieds, are more closely related to the galagos and lorises than the lemurs (Fleagle, 1988). This species has a relatively long tongue compared to Microcebus and Cheirogaleus (Rakotoarison et al., 1997). The overall pelage color for this species is gray (Meier and Albignac, 1991). This species has a tail which which is brown in color and a face with a white stripe running from the rostrum (nose) to between the eyes (Meier and Albignac, 1991). The eyes of this species have a dark ring surrounding them (Meier and Albignac, 1991). The ears of this species has ear tufts having a brown color (Meier and Albignac, 1991).

RANGE:
This species is found in Madagascar. This species has been found at the nature reserves of Mananara, Zahamena, and Vohidrazana in Madagascar (Rakotoarison et al., 1997). This species is found in the primary highland rainforest at an altitude between 680 and 1,235 meters (Rakotoarison et al., 1997).

ECOLOGY:
Based upon captive members this species consumes insects, fruits, and honey (Rakotoarison et al., 1997). In captivity this species will catch flying insects with the hands while the feet are holding onto a vertical support (Meier and Albignac, 1991). During the day this nocturnal animal sleeps in holes of dead trees with other members of its species (Rakotoarison et al., 1997). The hairy-eared dwarf lemur reduces its activity and increases its body weight during the dry and colder season from May to August (Rakotoarison et al., 1997). Also during this period the testes of males totally regress (Rakotoarison et al., 1997).

LOCOMOTION:
The hairy-eared dwarf lemur tends to leap frequently (Meier and Albignac, 1991); they were found to leap more than members of the genera Cheirogaleus and Microcebus (Meier and Albignac, 1991). When leaping the thumb is not often used in an opposable manner (Meier and Albignac, 1991).

SOCIAL BEHAVIOR:
The basic group of the hairy-eared dwarf lemur is comprised of an adult pair and their offspring (Nowak, 1999).

VOCAL COMMUNICATION:

OLFACTORY COMMUNCIATION:

VISUAL COMMUNICATION:

TACTILE COMMUNICATION:
social grooming: When one individual will groom another; that is remove dead skin and parasites from another conspecific. In the hairy-eared dwarf lemur it was found in captivity that males and females will do this to each other before they leave the nest at night (Meier and Albignac, 1991).

REPRODUCTION:
The birth season for this species is from January to February (Nowak, 1999).

REFERENCES:
Burton, Frances. 1995. The Multimedia Guide to the Non-human Primates. Prentice-Hall Canada Inc.

Fleagle, John G. 1988. Primate Adaptation and Evolution. Academic Press.

Groves, C.P. 1989. A Theory of Human and Primate Evolution. Clarendon Press, Oxford.

Meier, B. and Albignac, R. 1991. Rediscovery of Allocebus trichotis Gunther 1875 (Primates) in Northeat Madagascar. Folia Primatologica. Vol. 56, 57-63.

Nowak, R.M. 1999. Walker's Primates of the World. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London.

Rakotoarison, N., Zimmermann, H., and Zimmermann, E. 1997. First Discovery of the Hairy-eared Dwarf Lemur (Allocebus trichotis) in a Highland Rain Forest of Eastern Madagascar. Folia Primatologica, Vol. 68, 86-94.

Last Updated: October 4, 2003.
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