PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:

Lemur comes from the Latin word for "ghosts" and was probably inspired by their staring eyes (which glow reddish in the dark) and silent, secretive habits. Lemurs are the most primitive primates, once ranging throughout the world, but now confined primarily to the island of Madagascar.

Although this species is referred to as the Black Lemur, the name is applicable only to the male which usually has a soft black fur. The female is usually a lighter shade of brown or russet, with lighter under parts and ear tufts. Both sexes have neck ruffs.

Black lemurs have eyes in front of their heads and are considered among the first animals with stereoscopic vision. The mouth region is elongated into a fox-like snout. The hind legs are longer than the front legs, and the second toes have strongly curved grooming claws.

DISTRIBUTION and HABITAT:

Like its other lemur relatives, the black lemur lives on the island of Madagascar, dwelling in the treetops of the deeper forests.

BEHAVIOR:

Greetings between black lemurs are very ceremonious, involving reciprocal fur grooming, using their comb like lower incisors and claw like second toes. In the treetops a lemur may rub leaves, branches or fruit with its palms, leaving an identifying odor to mark its territory. Black lemurs are gregarious, polygamous and travel through the treetops in noisy bands of 12 to 15, eating, sleeping and vocalizing together. They are able to jump up to 24 feet, and their quick arboreal movements have been compared to the flight of birds.

If chased for a period of time they will change tactics to elude their pursuer, and may suddenly drop from a tree branch into a ground thicket to elude capture, then climb back into a treetop with great speed. They are most active in the morning and evening. The black lemur screams to denote territories.

DIET:

Black lemurs are omnivorous, eating both plant and animal matter. In the zoo they are fed monkey chow, dog chow, hau leaves, bananas, apples and oranges.

REPRODUCTION and GROWTH:

After a gestation period of about 135 days, a single offspring is born. The young are grayish-black with a thin coat of hair. The entire group helps care for and play with the young. Young lemurs first begin to climb at about three weeks, and are usually independent by six months. In captivity lemurs have lived for 20-27 years.

HONOLULU ZOO:

Scientific Name: Lemuridae Lemur macaco

Name Sex DOB

Morticia F 04-13-79

Wednesday F 03-27-86

Pugsley M 04-08-87

Suggested Reading:

Comparative Placentation (detailed reproductive information), http://medicine.ucsd.edu/cpa/indxfs.html.