Lemur origins
- Lemur divergence
- Split of lemurs and lorisiformes (lorises and pottos; small arboreal primates of Africa and Asia) (Hovarth et al. 2008)
- 66.9-84.4 million years ago (Mya)
- Malagasy lemurs
- Ancestral lemurs arrived on Madagascar after it separated from African and Indian land masses (Hovarth et al. 2008)
- Open ocean isolated Madagascar from Africa and India
- 50-80 Mya: ancestral lemurs arrived on Madagascar; after separation of the island from other landmasses (Hovarth et al. 2008)
Malagasy lemur diversity and divergence (from Mittermeier et al. 2010 unless otherwise noted)
- Diversity
- Malagasy lemur species account for > 15% of extant (living) primate diversity (Hovarth et al. 2008)
- 5 major (lemuriform) lineages; all descended from a single common ancestor (Hovarth et al. 2008; Yoder and Yang 2004)
- Daubentoniidae: represented by the aye-aye; 1 genus
- Indriidae: indris, sifakas, and their relatives; 19 species in 3 genera
- Lepilemuridae: sportive lemurs; 26 species in 1 genus
- Cheirogaleidae: dwarf and mouse lemurs; 30 species in 5 genera
- Lemuridae: true and bamboo lemurs; 25 species in 5 genera
- Origin estimates for major lineages (from Hovarth et al. 2008)
- Daubentonia ancestors arose early in lemur evolution
- Indriidae diverged c. 30.33-42.4 Mya, followed by Lepilemuridae c. 18.62-29.05 Mya
- Lemuridae and Cheirogaleidae began to diversify around the same time, c. 18.6-29 Mya
Family Lemuridae (from Schwitzer et al. 2013 unless otherwise noted)
- “Best-known” and one of the most widespread families of lemurs
- 5 genera (extant); divided into two groupings
- Bamboo lemurs; some populations have a specialized bamboo diet
- True lemurs; diet largely fruit
Genus Varecia
- Diversity
- Includes largest members of Lemuridae family (Mittermeier et al. 2010)
- Relationship to other Lemuridae
- Sister to group containing all other family members (Hapalemur, Eulemur, Lemur, and Prolemur) (Hovarth et al. 2008; Yoder and Yang 2004)
- Last common ancestor near the Oligocene/Miocene boundary (Hovarth et al. 2008)
- c. 26.4-35.9 Mya (Yoder and Yang 2004)
- c.18.62-29.05 Mya (Hovarth et al. 2008)
Species V. rubra
- Closest relative (from Hovarth et al. 2008)
- Black and white ruffed lemur (V. variegata)
- Most recent common ancestor 1.66-0.42 Mya
- Hybridization (from Vasey and Tattersall 2002 unless otherwise noted)
- Red-ruffed lemur and black and white-ruffed lemur hybrids
- Appearance unlike either parent
- Cap of head and belly black
- Body color variable; predominantly rufous to a whitish pelage washed with raspberry tones, especially near the shoulders and rump
- In managed care, hybrids known as “tri-colored ruffed lemurs”
- In the wild, hybrids likely uncommon, though possibly occurring
- All known hybrids date to collections in the late 19th and early 20th centuries (Hekkala et al. 2007)
- Recent surveys unable to establish the location of a hybrid zone (Vasey 2003)
