Sanford maki
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Sanford maki ( Eulemur sanfordi ), adult male |
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| Eulemur sanfordi | ||||||||||||
| ( Archbold , 1932) |
The Sanford Maki ( Eulemur sanfordi ) is a species of primate from the family of ordinary Makis (Lemuridae) within the Lemurs (Lemuriformes). Formerly it was considered a subspecies of the brown maki ( Eulemur fulvus ).
features
Sanford Makis reach a head body length of 38 to 40 centimeters, the tail is with 50 to 55 centimeters significantly longer than the body. The weight is 2 to 2.5 kilograms. The sexes differ in the color of their fur: the back of the males is brown, the belly is light brown. The nose and elongated snout are black, the top of the head is gray-brown. The face is framed by light gray tufts of ears and a light gray beard that give the impression of a mane. The fur of the female is more reddish brown, the head and face are uniformly gray in color, this gray coloration can extend to the shoulders. The females lack the mane-like tufts of ears and whiskers.
distribution and habitat
Sanford Makis occur only on the northern tip of the island of Madagascar , the southern limit of their range is the Manambato River . The habitat of these animals are forests, where they occur in both moist and dry forests, they also live in mountain forests up to 1400 meters above sea level.
Way of life
They are cathemeral , that is, they do not have a distinct day-night rhythm and can be active both day and night. Mostly they stay in the trees, where they move around on all fours in the branches. They live together in groups, the group size depends on the habitat: in rainforests the groups consist of four to seven, in dry forests, however, up to 15 animals. Groups are made up of several females and males as well as the associated young animals. The range of a group covers around 15 hectares and overlaps extensively with the areas of other groups.
Fruits make up the main part of their diet, they also eat buds, flowers and small animals such as spiders and millipedes . The composition of the food varies according to the season and habitat. When foraging for food, they tend to stay in the middle and upper layers of the tree, thereby avoiding food competition with the sympatric crowned lemur . In September or October the female usually gives birth to a single young after a gestation period of around 120 days. This first clings to the mother's stomach, later it rides on her back.
threat
The main threat to the Sanford Makis is the destruction of their habitat by mining and slash and burn. Sometimes they are also hunted or made pets. Their distribution area covers less than 5000 km² and is highly fragmented, the stocks are declining. The IUCN lists the species as "critically endangered" ( endangered ).
The species is no longer kept in Europe, all former owners are in the UK.
etymology
The species was named by the US zoologist Richard Archbold (1907-1976) after the ornithologist Leonard Cutler Sanford (1868-1950). Sanford was trustee of the American Museum of Natural History in New York and had generously supported the zoological expedition to Madagascar (1929–1931), which was jointly carried out by the French, English and Americans, during which the species was discovered.
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 .
- Austin Loomer Rand : Obituary of Richard Archbold. In: The Auk. 94, 1977, ISSN 0004-8038 , pp. 186-187.
Individual evidence
Web links
- Photos, videos and information at arkive.org
- Eulemur sanfordi onthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . Retrieved March 30, 2009.