Lemurs: Ecology and Adaptation

✍ Scribed by Ian Tattersall (auth.), Lisa Gould, Michelle L. Sauther (eds.)

• Publisher: Springer US
• Year: 2007
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 465
• Series: Developments in Primatology: Progress and Prospect
• Edition: 1
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

In this comprehensive volume, written by experts in the field, information gathered on lemur ecology and adaptation over the past 15 years is presented by both seasoned and newer lemur researchers, and provides us with further knowledge concerning both well-studied and rarely studied extant species, as well as insights into the ecology and adaptation of some of the recently extinct lemurs. With the dramatic increase in behavioral and ecological studies on a great variety of lemur species in the past few decades, our knowledge concerning the adaptation of these charming primates to Madagascar's unpredictable and sometimes harsh environmental conditions has improved significantly. Lemurs: Ecology and Adaptation will be a useful and fascinating source book for researchers and students of primate ecology.

✦ Table of Contents

Front Matter....Pages i-xx
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
Origin of the Malagasy Strepsirhine Primates....Pages 3-17
Notes on the History of Ecological Studies of Malagasy Lemurs....Pages 19-39
Ecology and Extinction of Madagascar's Subfossil Lemurs....Pages 41-64
Front Matter....Pages 66-66
Impact of Ecology on the Teeth of Extant Lemurs: A Review of Dental Adaptations, Function, and Life History....Pages 67-96
Big Is Beautiful: Fat Storage and Hibernation as a Strategy to Cope with Marked Seasonality in the Fat-tailed Dwarf Lemur ( Cheirogaleus medius )....Pages 97-110
Polyspecific Associations of Crowned Lemurs and Sanford's Lemurs in Madagascar....Pages 111-131
Cathemerality in Lemurs....Pages 133-157
Adaptations in the Aye-aye: A Review....Pages 159-184
Front Matter....Pages 186-186
Evolutionary Divergence in the Brown Lemur Species Complex....Pages 187-210
Ecological Diversity and Seasonal Adaptations of Mouse Lemurs ( Microcebus spp. )....Pages 211-234
Social Pair-Bonding and Resource Defense in Wild Red-Bellied Lemurs ( Eulemur rubriventer )....Pages 235-254
Lemur catta Ecology: What We Know and What We Need to Know....Pages 255-274
Impact of Seasonality and Reproduction on Social Structure, Ranging Patterns, and Fission–Fusion Social Organization in Red Ruffed Lemurs....Pages 275-304
Ecologically Enigmatic Lemurs: The Sifakas of the Eastern Forests ( Propithecus candidus, P. diadema, P. edwardsi, P. perrieri, and P. tattersalli )....Pages 305-326
Behavioral and Ecological Adaptations in Two Small Folivorous Lemurs with Different Social Organization: Avabi and Lepilemur ....Pages 327-352
The Feeding Ecology and Related Adaptations of Indri indri ....Pages 353-368
Behavior and Ecology of Gentle Lemurs (Genus Hapalemur)....Pages 369-381
Front Matter....Pages 384-384
Considering Climate Change Effects in Lemur Ecology and Conservation....Pages 385-401
Diet Composition, Foraging, and Feeding Behavior in Relation to Habitat Disturbance: Implications for the Adaptability of Ruffed Lemurs ( Varecia variegata editorium ) in Manombo Forest, Madagascar....Pages 403-422
Overview on the Health and Disease Ecology of Wild Lemurs: Conservation Implications....Pages 423-440
Back Matter....Pages 441-450

✦ Subjects

Animal Ecology; Behavioural Sciences; Anthropology; Developmental Biology