Brown Lemur(Eulemur fulvus)

MORPHOLOGY: This species has binocular vision, like all of the true lemurs. Has scent glands located at the wrist throat that are used in olfactory communication. Average body mass between 2 and 4 kilograms. The brown lemur is sexually dichromatic, males and females have different fur patterns (Fleagle, 1988). RANGE: Found on Madagascar and the Comoro Islands.

ECOLOGY:
The brown lemur is mainly a folivorous (leaf-eating) species, which also eats flowers, fruit, and bark.

LOCOMOTION:
This arboreal species moves throughout the forest canopy quadrupedally, but is capable of leaping.

SOCIAL BEHAVIOR:
This species forms multimale-multifemale groups that can reach sizes of up to 40 individuals.

VOCAL COMMUNICATION:
ohn: this is a nasal sound that is used in maintaining group cohesion.

cree: this high-pitched sound is used as a territorial call.

crou: this sound is the alarm call of the brown lemur.

OLFACTORY COMMUNICATION:
As with all of the true lemurs, olfactory communication is extraordinarily important, used in such capacities as transmitting physical state, location, and individual recognition.

REPRODUCTION:
this species gives birth to a single offspring.

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

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

Last Updated: October 7, 2003.
[The Primata] [Primate Fact Sheets] [Family Lemuridae] [Eulemur Links]