Off-the-ceiling Sifaka

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Off-the-ceiling Sifaka
Van der Decken's Sifaka in Namoroka.jpg

Off-the-ceiling sifaka ( Propithecus ceilingii )

Systematics
Order : Primates (Primates)
Subordination : Wet-nose primates (Strepsirrhini)
Partial order : Lemurs (Lemuriformes)
Family : Indriiformes (Indriidae)
Genre : Sifakas ( Propithecus )
Type : Off-the-ceiling Sifaka
Scientific name
Propithecus ceilingii
A. Grandidier , 1867

The Von-der -cken-Sifaka ( Propithecusckenii ) is a primate species from the family of the Indri-like within the lemurs . It was formerly considered a subspecies of the larval sifaka .

features

The fur of the Von-der-Ceiling Sifakas is predominantly white, the neck, shoulders, back and limbs are sometimes light yellow-brown or silver-gray in color. The skin color is black. The face and the small round auricles are hairless, the snout is more blunt than that of other Sifakas . The eye color is red or orange-red. There are also melanistic individuals, in which the head and neck are black and the shoulders, upper arms and the front part of the back are gray-brown. These animals reach a head body length of 42 to 48 centimeters, the tail measures 50 to 60 centimeters and the weight is 3.5 to 4.5 kilograms.

  • Propithecus ceilingii1.jpg
  • Propithecus ceilingii - profile - Tsingy.jpg
  • Propithecus ceilingii2.jpg
  • Von der Deckens sifaka 09.JPG

Distribution and way of life

Distribution area of ​​the Von-der-Ceiling Sifaka

Like all lemurs, off-the-ceiling sifakas only live in Madagascar . Its distribution area is on the west coast of the island between the Mahavavy and Manambolo rivers, but the exact boundaries are not known. Their habitat are dry deciduous forests. Otherwise, little is known about their way of life, which should largely correspond to that of the larval sifaka. They are diurnal and mostly stay in the trees. They live in groups of two to ten (usually three to six) animals.

Danger

The main danger for these primates is the destruction of their habitat through deforestation and charcoal production. Due to a strict taboo , they are not hunted in a large part of the range, they become relatively tame and also live in localities. The IUCN lists the species as "endangered" ( vulnerable ).

literature

  • Nick Garbutt: Mammals of Madagascar. A Complete Guide. Yale University Press, New Haven CT 2007, ISBN 978-0-300-12550-4 .
  • Thomas Geissmann : Comparative Primatology. Springer-Verlag, Berlin et al. 2002, ISBN 3-540-43645-6 .
  • Russell A. Mittermeier , Jörg U. Ganzhorn, William R. Konstant, Kenneth Glander, Ian Tattersall , Colin P. Groves , Anthony B. Rylands, Andreas Hapke, Jonah Ratsimbazafy, Mireya I. Mayor, Edward Louis jr, Yves Rumpler, Christoph Schwitzer, Rodin Rasoloarison: Lemur Diversity in Madagascar. In: International Journal of Primatology. 29, 2008, ISSN  0164-0291 , pp. 1607-1656.
  • Neil Shea: Stone Forest (Tsingy de Bemaraha, Madagascar's limestone forest). In: National Geographic. 11/2009, online .

Web links