Lemurs maintain primitive primate features such as a small brain case and a prominent nose.
Lemurs rely on their sense of smell as a way of communicating with other animals.
They have special scent glands on their wrists and bottoms that leave scent trails on branches to mark their territories. A lemur's soft, broad fingers and toes have flat nails that allow it to grip objects and groom other lemurs. These prosimians are quite social and the troops have clearly defined male and female hierarchies. A female lemur carries her newborn in her mouth until the baby is able to cling to the fur on mother's stomach or back. The lemur's thick bushy tail serves as a visual signal when it's threatened or as a balancing tool when it leaps through the trees.