Propithecus tattersalli Simons 1988
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
Indriidae
Propithecus
Propithecus tattersalli

description: 14.
Tattersall’s Sifaka
Propithecus tattersalli
French: Sifaka de Tattersall / German: Goldkronensifaka / Spanish: Sifaca de Tattersall
Other common names: Golden-crowned Sifaka
Taxonomy. Propithecus tattersalli Simons, 1988,
Madagascar, dry forest about 6-7 km north-east of Daraina, Antseranana province (13° 9’ S, 49° 41’ E).
This species was first discovered in 1974, when I. Tattersall sighted groups of animals north of Vohémar and provisionally identified them as a variant of the Silky Sifaka (then P diadema candidus). More than a decade passed before the species was finally described in 1988 when E. Simons named it in honor of Tattersall. Monotypic.
Distribution. Restricted range in NE Madagascar, limited to an extremely small area in the Ampandraha, Madirabe, and Daraina districts bounded by the Loky River in the N and the Manambato River in the S; its distribution is centered on the town of Daraina and covers ¢.245,000 ha.
Descriptive notes. Head-body 45-47 cm, tail 42-47 cm; weight 3.4-3.6 kg. Tattersall’s Sifaka is a medium-sized species, similar in size to the sifakas in the southern and western dry forest. The fur is notably short and sparse, being mainly creamy-white dorsally and on the shoulders, upper arms, and genital region, with a wash of golden-orange on the chest and rump. Forearms and tops of the legs often are pale orange. The crown is bright golden-orange, often extending to the shoulders and separated from the bare black skin of the face by a white ruff. Ears are prominent and black, sporting distinctive white tufts that give the head a somewhat triangular appearance. Eyes are yellow-orange.
Habitat. Primary dry deciduous, gallery, and semi-evergreen forest patches at 50-700 m above sea level and coastal/littoral forest. Forests in the distribution of Tattersall’s Sifaka are highly fragmented and isolated by extensive, human-altered degraded grasslands, dry scrub, and farmland. Most are deciduous secondary forests similar in composition to transitional dry forests of western Madagascar. Forty-five of 75 forest tracts identified by researchers were inhabited by Tattersall’s Sifaka. Most of the year is dry, with the majority of the rainfall (200 cm annually) occurring in December—March.
Food and Feeding. Diets of Tattersall’s Sifaka are mainly composed of young leaves, flowers, seeds, and fruit. At Daraina, food availability varies during the year based on seasonal patterns of rainfall. Availability of ripe fruits, flowers, and immature leaves peaks during the rainy season (December—March). In the dry season, Tattersall’s Sifaka is forced to feed on less nutritious mature leaves, unripe fruits, and possibly tree bark. In one study population of Tattersall’s Sifaka, 60% of individuals had a larval parasite potentially detrimental to their health.
Breeding. The mating season of Tattersall’s Sifaka is in late January. Usually only one adult female per group breeds. Copulations only occur over a 24hour period when the female is in estrus and fertile. Fertility is signaled by about a ten-hour long, externally visible pink genital swelling in females. Males’ testicles enlarge as the breeding season nears. Copulation is brief, often only 30-90 seconds and consists of a single mount. Single young are born from late June to August after gestation of 165-176 days. Newborns are sparsely furred. Weaning typically takes place in December. All group members interact with infants; grooming, playing, carrying, and nursing are the most common alloparental behaviors. Mothers wean their infants five months after birth, just before the subsequent breeding season. Sexual maturity in both sexes occurs at ¢.2-5 years of age.
Activity patterns. Tattersall’s Sifaka is arboreal and primarily diurnal, although individuals may become crepuscular during the rainy season. Groups sleep in high emergent trees at night.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. Tattersall’s Sifaka lives either in monogamous pairs or in multimale-multifemale groups of 3-10 individuals (average of five), the latter usually with two adults of each sex. Home range size is 9-12 ha. Mean daily path of movement is 462-1077 m. Females are dominant over males. Males may change groups during the mating season. Recent density estimates are 10-23 ind/km?.
Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix I. Classified as Endangered on The [UCN Red List. However, at the IUCN/SSC Red List Workshop in July 2012, P. tattersalli was assessed as critically endangered. Tattersall’s Sifaka is threatened by slash-and-burn agriculture, uncontrolled grass fires, collection of timber for housing and fuel, logging of precious hardwoods, and gold mining. In recent years, hunting for food has also become a serious problem, especially by itinerant gold miners who, unlike the local people, do not consider the animals “fady” (taboo). Tattersall’s Sifaka occurs in the 57,000ha Loky-Manambato Protected Area in the Daraina region, which was established primarily for its benefit in 2005. The total world population is estimated to be over 18,000 individuals, and dispersal still seems to be possible among most forest fragments within its distribution. No Tattersall’s Sifakas are held in captivity.
Bibliography. Coffmann (1990), Garbutt (2007), Lehman et al. (2005), Meyers (1993, 1996), Meyers & Ratsirarson (1989), Meyers & Wright (1993), Mittermeier, Konstant et al. (2006), Mittermeier, Langrand et al. (2010), Pochron & Wright (2002, 2003), Quémére, Champeau et al. (2010), Quéméré, Louis et al. (2010), Randrianarisoa et al. (1999), Ravosa et al. (1993), Simons (1988), Tattersall (1982, 1986b), Vargas et al. (2002).
description: Published as part of Russell A. Mittermeier, Anthony B. Rylands & Don E. Wilson, 2013, Indriidae, pp. 142-175 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 3 Primates, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on pages 170-171, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6709103