Ring-Tailed Lemur

Classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Scientific Name: Lemur catta Common Name: Ring-tailed Lemur

Commonalities to PhylumRing-tailed Lemurs share the following traits with all

mammals and Chordates:1) Lemurs show the evolutionary advantage of having hair

and mammal glands. Mammals were the 1st animals on earth to show these traits.

2) Symmetry: Bilateral3) Body Cavity: Coelomate – all mammals have a full

digestive system (tube within a tube)4) Lemurs are free-living non-parasitic, mostly herbivores

that are terrestrial and live mostly in tress.5) Ring-tailed lemurs all show cephalization with three

body regions (head, thorax, and abdomen)

Breeding/Life Cycle

BreedingBreeding IntervalFemales are capable of breeding annually.Breeding SeasonBreeds from mid April through JuneNumber of Offspring1 to 2Gestation Period4 to 4.5 monthsBirth Mass70.6 g (average)Time to Weaning5 month (high)Age at Sexual or Reproductive Maturity

(female)3 years (average)Age at Sexual or Reproductive Maturity (male)2.5 years (average)

LifecylceExtreme Lifespan (captivity)33 + years (high)Average Lifespan (wild)27.1 yearsAverage lifespan (captivity)30 years (female)

Ring-tailed lemurs breed polygymously. Meaning they do not mate with just one mate. They typically live in multi-male or multi-female troops. Most troops have one male with several females he mates with. Females are mostly the care givers. They provide the food, shelter, and grooming of the young.

Habitat/Niche

HabitatRing-tailed lemurs prefer to spend

most of their time in the trees of Euphorbia (cactus like) bushes. They do spend time on the ground but prefer to be in the trees.

They are mostly found in the south end of Madagascar in the Berenty Reserve. This reserve contains three different types of forests ranging from cactus like bushes/trees to tall canopy trees to spiny trees.

Niche/Food Habits Lemurs are not meat eaters Primary Diet = Herbivores

Animal foods = mostly insects

Plant foods = leaves, wood, bark, or stems, fruit, flowers, sap, or other plant fluids.

Interesting BehaviorRing-tailed lemurs live in very social

groups ranging between 3-20 individuals.

1. Females are dominant to males and all females take part in raising the young. Infanticide (killing of a baby) is very rare. Males usually leave the group at sexual maturity.

2. Ring-tail lemurs are famous for their STINK FIGHTS. During the mating season both sexes fight with each other. Males will rub their tails with scents from glands in their wrists and genitals, and then aim their tails at their opponents.

The Ring-tailed Lemur

Ecosystem Roles AffectsEcosystem RoleLemurs serve as seed dispersersNegative ImpactNo negative impact is known to

humansPositive ImpactLemurs provide positive income

as popular tourist attractionsConservationRing-tailed lemurs are considered

threatened

Interesting Physical Traits

1) All Ring-tailed lemurs have a black and white tail

2) Ring-tailed lemurs also have a recognizable black and white triangular diamond pattern face.

References http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/animal

s/creaturefeature/ring-tailed-lemur/ http://www.honoluluzoo.org/ringtailed_lemur.

htm http://pin.primate.wisc.edu/factsheets/entry/rin

g-tailed_lemur