Lepilemur sahamalazensis Andriaholinirina 2006
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
Lepilemuridae
Lepilemur
Lepilemur sahamalazensis

description: 16.
Sahamalaza Sportive Lemur
Lepilemur sahamalazensis
French: Lépilémur de Sahamalaza / German: Sahamalaza-Wieselmaki / Spanish: Lémur saltador de Sahamalaza
Other common names: Sahamalaza Peninsula Sportive Lemur
Taxonomy. Lepilemur sahamalazensis Andriaholinirina et al., 2006,
Madagascar, Sahamalaza Peninsula (c.14° 16 ‘S, 47° 58’ E).
This species is monotypic.
Distribution. NW coastal Madagascar, restricted to the Sahamalaza Peninsula and the adjacent mainland; the biogeography of this area and the distribution pattern of the sympatric Blue-eyed Black Lemur (Eulemurflavifrons) make it likely that the boundaries of the range of the Sahamalaza Sportive Lemur are the Andranomalaza River in the N and the Maevarano Riverin the S. Field studies to determine the full extent of the distribution and that of neighboring Mittermeier’s Sportive Lemur (L. mittermeiert) are underway.
Descriptive notes. Head—body 19-24 cm, tail c.24 cm; weight 720 g. A small species. Color of the fur is variable, perhaps depending on the age of the individual. The upper body is predominantly reddish-brown with gray or creamy underparts, and a reddishbrown to deep brown tail. A dark and diffuse dorsal stripe runs from the top of the head to the lower back. The face is essentially gray, but the forehead and areas around the ears are reddish-brown, sometimes with darker, diffuse patches.
Habitat. Primary and older secondary forest and forest patches of the transitional subhumid forests of the southern Sambirano, with tree heights of up to 25 m. The forests in this area include a mixture of plant species typical of the western dry deciduous forest, with some typical of the Sambirano domain. They all have some degree of habitat disturbance and are separated from each other by grass savanna with shrubs. Population densities of the Sahamalaza Sportive Lemur tend to be higher in areas with more large trees, a more closed canopy, and a greater abundance of food plants, suitable sleeping holes, and vegetation tangles.
Food and Feeding. In the Ankarafa Forest on the Sahamalaza Peninsula, the species feeds on leaves from at least 15 different tree species. Leaves of mango trees (Mangifera indica, Anacardiaceae) and of different lianas seem to be preferred food sources. The Sahamalaza Sportive Lemur also will eat grubs.
Breeding. A single offspring is born in mid-September. During the day,it clings to the mother’s belly, but it is transported at night around her neck. During quick movements, the mother may carry her offspring by her mouth. When the mother forages at night, the infant is left in a tree, but not the diurnal sleeping tree. During the first week, the mother returns to the “baby tree” after one hour of foraging and stays there for 30-60 minutes before the next foraging bout. During the second week, she returns every 1-5-2 hours. The infant becomes active and moves around the “baby tree” on its own after one week.
Activity patterns. Arboreal. Although the Sahamalaza Sportive Lemur is essentially nocturnal, 7-25% of its time in daytime sleeping sites is spent either resting vigilantly or grooming. They seem to rest less in disturbed forest areas with a lower density of large trees and vegetation tangles. Although tree holes are usually favored sleeping sites of sportive lemurs in general, individual Sahamalaza Sportive Lemurs observed in tree holes were significantly more active during the day than those that had been resting in vegetation tangles. Tree holes used as sleepingsites are often found in dead Bridelia pervilleana (Phyllanthaceae), but tree tangles used as sleeping sites are mostly located in Sorindeia madagascariensis (Anacardiaceae). Tree holes seem to be used mostly during the cold-dry season; they prefer vegetation tangles during the hot-wet season. During the day, the Sahamalaza Sportive Lemur never leavesits chosen resting site. Playback experiments showed that it can distinguish between the calls of aerial and terrestrial predators.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. This species has recently been studied in the Ankarafa Forest on the Sahamalaza Peninsula. Home range sizes are comparable to those of other sportive lemur species, ranging 0-5—1-5 ha. The home ranges of different individuals overlap. Social encounters (e.g. allogrooming, feeding in the same tree, agonistic behavior) between two or more animals take place during most nights. Males usually rest alone during the day, but females sometimes share sleeping sites with offspring from the previous year.
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, L. sahamalazensis was assessed as critically endangered. The distribution of the Sahamalaza Sportive Lemuris very limited, and the coverage of the forest that it lives in is rapidly decreasing and extremely fragmented. Hunting pressure is high, and livestock degrade its habitat. The only protected area in which it is known to occur is Sahamalaza-Iles Radama National Park. In 2007, the total population in the park was estimated to be no more than 3000. The Sahamalaza Sportive Lemur was included on the listing of the World’s 25 Most Endangered Primates 2006 -2008.
Bibliography. Andriaholinirina, Fausser et al. (2006), Louis, Engberg et al. (2006), Mittermeier et al. (2010), Olivieri et al. (2007b), Ruperti, Bearder et al. (2008), Ruperti, Rabenandrasana et al. (2008), Schwitzer, Craul & Randriatahina (2007), Seiler & Schwitzer (2010).
description: Published as part of Russell A. Mittermeier, Anthony B. Rylands & Don E. Wilson, 2013, Lepilemuridae, pp. 66-75 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 3 Primates, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on page 72, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6635114