Eulemur rufus
Creators: name: Russell A. Mittermeier
name: Anthony B. Rylands
name: Don E. Wilson
Publisher: name: Lynx Edicions
Year: 2013
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Primates
Lemuridae
Eulemur
Eulemur rufus

description: 9.
Rufous Brown Lemur
Eulemur rufus
French: Lémur roux / German: Nordlicher Rotstirnmaki / Spanish: Lémur rojizo
Other common names: Northern Red-fronted Brown Lemur, Red Brown Lemur, Red-fronted Lemur
Taxonomy. Lemur rufus Audebert, 1799,
Madagascar.
There is a small hybrid zone with E. mongoz in north-western Madagascar, south of the Betsiboka River. Monotypic.
Distribution. WC Madagascar; patchily distributed from the Mahavavy du Sud River S at least to the Tsiribihina River (northernmost recorded locality is Betsako, 15° 35’ S, 46° 23’ E). It has been recorded from Beroboka (19° 58’ S, 44° 37 E), S of the Tsiribihina, but its occurrence there is questionable.
Descriptive notes. Head-body 40-48 cm, tail 45-55 cm; weight 1-6 kg. The Rufous Brown Lemur is a medium-sized, sexually dichromatic species, quite similar to the Red-fronted Brown Lemur (E. rufifrons). Males are dark olive-gray with a deep brown tinge on and above thetail, and lighter below. Hands are red. The crownis dark brickred, and the cheek beard is golden-red. The muzzle is black with an additional broad and black mid-facial stripe extending from the crown to the nose. Sides of the nose and spots above the eyes are creamy-white. Females are gingery-red with an orange underside and a short, golden-red cheek beard. The crown is black, and there are large gray-white cheek spots.
Habitat. Primary and secondary tropical dry lowland forest.
Food and Feeding. There is no information available for this species.
Breeding. There is no specific information available for this species, but one male probably monopolizes the females of the group.
Activity patterns. The Rufous Brown Lemur is cathemeral and arboreal. Although it is largely diurnal, individuals increase their nocturnal activity during the dry season.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. Given taxonomic changes, past studies of the Rufous Brown Lemur are now attributed to the Red-fronted Brown Lemur. As such, no detailed behavioral or ecological studies have been conducted on the Rufous Brown Lemur.
Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix I. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. However, at the IUCN/SSC Lemur Red-Listing Workshop held in July 2012, E. rufus was assessed as vulnerable due to an ongoing population decline of more than 30% in three generations. The Rufous Brown Lemur occurs in three national parks (Baie de Baly, Tsingy de Bemaraha, and Tsingy de Namoroka), Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve, three special reserves (Bemarivo, Kasijy, and Maningoza), and Tsiombikibo Classified Forest.
Bibliography. Barthold et al. (2009), Gerson (1999), Glander et al. (1992), Goodman & Raselimanana (2003), Groves (2006), Hawkins (1999), Hawkins et al. (1998), Mittermeier et al. (2010), Nicoll & Langrand (1989), Overdorff et al. (1999), Randrianarisoa, Rasamison & Rakotozafy (2001), Randrianarisoa, Rasamison, Rakotozafy & Totovalahy (2001), Sterling & Ramaroson (1996), Thalmann et al. (1999), Zaramody & Pastorini (2001).
description: Published as part of Russell A. Mittermeier, Anthony B. Rylands & Don E. Wilson, 2013, Lemuridae, pp. 90-141 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 3 Primates, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on page 133, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6638668