Cheirogaleidae

Cheirogaleidae
The Cheirogaleidae are the family of strepsirrhine primates containing the various dwarf and mouse lemurs. Like all other lemurs, cheirogaleids live exclusively on the island of Madagascar.
Characteristics
Cheirogaleids are smaller than the other lemurs and, in fact, they are the smallest primates. They have soft, long fur, colored grey-brown to reddish on top, with a generally brighter underbelly. Typically, they have small ears, large, close-set eyes, and long hind legs. Like all strepsirrhines, they have fine claws at the second toe of the hind legs. They grow to a size of only 13 to 28 cm, with a tail that is very long, sometimes up to one and a half times as long as the body. They weigh no more than 500 grams, with some species weighing as little as 60 grams.
Dwarf and mouse lemurs are nocturnal and arboreal. They are excellent climbers and can also jump far, using their long tails for balance. When on the ground (a rare occurrence), they move by hopping on their hind legs. They spend the day in tree hollows or leaf nests. Cheirogaleids are typically solitary, but sometimes live together in pairs.
Their eyes possess a tapetum lucidum, a light-reflecting layer that improves their night vision. Some species, such as the lesser dwarf lemur, store fat at the hind legs and the base of the tail, and hibernate. Unlike lemurids, they have long upper incisors, although they do have the comb-like teeth typical of all strepsirhines. They have the dental formula:
Cheirogaleids are omnivores, eating fruits, flowers and leaves (and sometimes nectar), as well as insects, spiders, and small vertebrates.
The females usually have three pairs of nipples. After a meager 60-day gestation, they will bear two to four (usually two or three) young. After five to six weeks, the young are weaned and become fully mature near the end of their first year or sometime in their second year, depending on the species. In human care, they can live for up to 15 years, although their life expectancy in the wild is probably significantly shorter.
Classification
The five genera of cheirogaleids contain 42 species.
Infraorder Lemuriformes
Family Cheirogaleidae
Genus Cheirogaleus: dwarf lemurs
Montagne d'Ambre dwarf lemur, Cheirogaleus andysabini
Furry-eared dwarf lemur, Cheirogaleus crossleyi
Groves' dwarf lemur, Cheirogaleus grovesi
Lavasoa dwarf lemur, Cheirogaleus lavasoensis
Greater dwarf lemur, Cheirogaleus major
Fat-tailed dwarf lemur, Cheirogaleus medius
Lesser iron-gray dwarf lemur, Cheirogaleus minusculus
Ankarana dwarf lemur, Cheirogaleus shethi
Sibree's dwarf lemur, Cheirogaleus sibreei
Thomas' dwarf lemur, Cheirogaleus thomasi
Genus Microcebus: mouse lemurs
Arnhold's mouse lemur, Microcebus arnholdi
Madame Berthe's mouse lemur, Microcebus berthae
Bongolava mouse lemur Microcebus bongolavensis
Boraha mouse lemur Microcebus boraha
Danfoss' mouse lemur Microcebus danfossi
Ganzhorn's mouse lemur. Microcebus ganzhorni
Gerp's mouse lemur. Microcebus gerpi
Reddish-gray mouse lemur, Microcebus griseorufus
Jolly's mouse lemur, Microcebus jollyae
Jonah's mouse lemur, Microcebus jonahi
Goodman's mouse lemur, Microcebus lehilahytsara
MacArthur's mouse lemur, Microcebus macarthurii
Claire's mouse lemur, Microcebus mamiratra, synonymous to M. lokobensis
Bemanasy mouse lemur, Microcebus manitatra
Margot Marsh's mouse lemur, Microcebus margotmarshae
Marohita mouse lemur, Microcebus marohita
Mittermeier's mouse lemur, Microcebus mittermeieri
Gray mouse lemur, Microcebus murinus
Pygmy mouse lemur, Microcebus myoxinus
Golden-brown mouse lemur, Microcebus ravelobensis
Brown mouse lemur, Microcebus rufus
Sambirano mouse lemur, Microcebus sambiranensis
Simmons' mouse lemur, Microcebus simmonsi
Anosy mouse lemur. Microcebus tanosi
Northern rufous mouse lemur, Microcebus tavaratra
Genus Mirza: giant mouse lemurs
Coquerel's giant mouse lemur or Coquerel's dwarf lemur, Mirza coquereli
Northern giant mouse lemur, Mirza zaza
Genus Allocebus
Hairy-eared dwarf lemur, Allocebus trichotis
Genus Phaner: fork-marked lemurs
Masoala fork-marked lemur, Phaner furcifer
Pale fork-marked lemur, Phaner pallescens
Pariente's fork-marked lemur, Phaner parienti
Amber Mountain fork-marked lemur, Phaner electromontis
Footnotes
According to the letter of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, the correct name for this family should be Microcebidae, but the name Cheirogaleidae has been retained for stability.
In 2008, 7 new species of Microcebus were formally recognized, but Microcebus lokobensis (Lokobe mouse lemur) was not among the additions, even though it was described in 2006. Therefore, its status as a species is still questionable.
References
Lemurs
Primate families
Taxa named by John Edward Gray
Taxa described in 1873