Lemurs And Their Relatives
Since the movie Madagascar was released , lemurs have once again gained some fame among people around the world. And thanks to the character of the film, the association was established that these animals stand out for being mischievous, agile and funny.
Now, what is there to know about these animals? What family do they belong to? Are they monkeys? Who are your relatives? Next we will give you the answers.
Characteristics and generalities about lemurs
Lemurs and their relatives belong to the Lemuroidea family , order Lemuriformes. They are considered inferior primates, because anthropoid primates (monkeys, humanoids, and humans) did not evolve from them, but from omomyids.
So, the lemurs are a group of primates of rare appearance and difficult classification. Most of them live in the forests of the island of Madagascar.
How did they get to Madagascar?
The most widespread hypothesis is that lemurs arrived on the island of Madagascar approximately 65 million years ago. Since then they have evolved to adapt to its highly seasonal climate: with a hot and rainy season and a cool and dry season.
Lemurs and their relatives
Next we will tell you which are the relatives of lemurs and what are their main characteristics.
The curious case of the gálago
Galagos, or galágids, are very abundant lemuroid primates on the African continent. They have a total of 19 species. They are characterized by:
- Have the fingers equipped with adherent pads that help them to move on smooth surfaces.
- Rest during the day and eat at night, insects and seeds.
- Have large eyes that allow them to see in the dark.
- Be very agile, so much so that a specimen can jump up to 5 meters from one tree to another.
The aye-aye, the rarest relative of lemurs
The aye-aye, Daubentonia madagascariensis, is a cat-sized lemuroid. It has a bushy tail, as long as its body, and erect, bare ears, like those of a mouse.
It could be mistaken for a squirrel, but its hands and feet have opposable thumbs like higher primates. And the middle finger of each hand is long and thin. This longer finger is used for eating, combing and cleaning teeth.
The most boring relatives of lemurs: lorises
The lori, a lemuroid with a solid body, long silky hair, short limbs and a pointed snout, spends most of its time among the branches of trees. The most curious is the slow or lazy loris, Nycticebus concang , whose name reflects its parsimony. Only move one member at a time, holding onto the branch with the other three.
In contrast, the graceful or slender loris, Loris tardigradus , which lives in Sri Lanka and has a more agitated behavior. He is smaller, but has a worse temper, as he is irascible and vindictive.
The tarsier monkey
The tarsius, tarsier or tarsier, which lives in the Philippines and Borneo, only has in common with the previous ones its primate condition. Its grotesque appearance offers appeal and, zoologically, it is a contradiction and an enigma. It is characterized by:
- Its head can turn almost completely round.
- Their ears are large and membranous.
- It has very long fingers, ending in sticky bumps that help it to climb smooth surfaces.
- Its tail, long and almost bare, ends in a very hairy tassel.
The importance of the tarsier, from the anatomical point of view, is considerable. It has opposable thumbs and adopts an upright position, like the higher primates. In addition, he has large eyes with binocular vision.
On the other hand, their way of jumping is also very remarkable, suddenly straightening their hind legs, as frogs do.
Conclution
Lemurs and their relatives, therefore, are not ordinary monkeys, as they are considered inferior primates. They represent a total of five species, with very varied characteristics, and therefore can be of great interest to lovers of these animals. And even more so if to get to know them it is necessary to visit the island of Madagascar, a most exotic vacation destination.
