#subfossil lemurs or

[gorillawithautism]

it's so heartbreaking that we don't have big bitches around anymore

[rabbitcruiser]

World Lemur Day 

World Lemur Day celebrates lemurs and spreads the word about the need to conserve them; it inspires a love for them and actions to save them from extinction. It also celebrates Madagascar, the island nation located 250 miles off the east coast of Africa that lemurs call home. Events are held around the world on the day, in person and virtually. World Lemur Day takes place on the last Friday of October, and the World Lemur Festival takes place during the weeks surrounding it.

Madagascar is rich in biodiversity, and much of its flora and fauna can be found nowhere else in the world, as is the case with lemurs. Scientists believe that lemurs may have gotten their start on Africa's mainland before arriving; they think lemurs floated to the island on vegetation, and then evolved and diversified over millions of years. Madagascar was a favorable environment for them because the landscape was habitable, there were varied food sources, and there weren't any large predators.

Today there are over 100 species of lemurs. By one count there are 112, but the number changes when new ones are identified through discoveries and genetic testing. Subfossils indicate there once were more and that some became extinct, possibly from being hunted by humans after humans arrived on the island. The 2020 update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species indicated that almost all lemur species were threatened with extinction and that almost a third were critically endangered.

The smallest lemur is the Madame's Berthe mouse lemur, weighing in at 30 grams, and the largest is the indri, which may weigh up to 9.5 kilograms. Subfossils indicate that some lemurs were once as large as gorillas. Some other lemurs are the ring-tailed lemur, dancing sifaka, and aye-aye. Lemurs have unique traits in common. They have a heightened sense of smell because of their long snouts and wet noses and have improved night vision because of their tapetum lucidum, an extra layer of tissue behind their retina. All lemurs except aye-ayes have incisors and canines that lean forward instead of upward, called toothcombs, which are used for grooming, as well as to eat seeds and bark.

The forests of Madagascar benefit from lemurs, who help them grow by pollinating plants and dispersing seeds. Lemurs eat fruit but don't digest the seeds, and leave the seeds around the forest in their droppings. They also may get seeds and pollen stuck in their fur while looking for fruits and nectar, and may pass them onto other flowers.

To protect lemurs, the challenges and threats they face must be known. They face habitat change and loss, climate change, invasive species, and poaching. The forests of Madagascar are decreasing in size, changing the habitats of lemurs. This negatively impacts individual lemurs and the species as a whole. Madagascar is one of the top countries affected by climate change caused by humans. Droughts in the south and yearly monsoons in the north have become more prevalent in the twenty-first century, affecting all life on the island, including lemurs. Being that Madagascar developed in isolation when non-native species enter the ecosystem, they can threaten those that live there. Lemurs are also hunted for the pet trade, for food, and for cultural reasons.

A "fady" is a taboo of the Malagasy people, those who reside in Madagascar. For some, hunting, killing, or eating the indri is fady, since legend says that the spirits of ancestors live on within them. The aye-aye is associated with evil, and legend says that bad things may happen to those who see one. They are often killed because of this.

Lemurs benefit from ecotourism. Those visiting Madagascar bring money to the local economy, and, in turn, the Malagasy see the benefit of having the lemurs around—tourism wouldn't thrive without them. As the economy grows, the lemurs benefit. Conservation work in Madagascar is complex and supports wildlife, habitats, and people. Building relationships with and working with the Malagasy is crucial. Establishing and maintaining protected areas, reforestation efforts, dealing with invasive species, captive breeding at zoos, and reintroducing and relocating species are all part of conservation efforts. These efforts are given a boost today with World Lemur Day!

How to Observe World Lemur Day

World Lemur Day is celebrated individually, but also by zoos and other organizations. Some ideas for participation include:

Post on social media with the hashtag #WorldLemurDay and tag the Lemur Conservation Network. They can be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Focus your posts on the urgency of lemur conservation and how everyone can help make a difference and save lemurs from extinction by working together. Use the social media guide to help you craft your posts.

Utilize the Lemur Conservation Network's participation guide for ideas on how individuals, member organizations, zoos, educators, and libraries can participate. For individuals, they suggest holding a fundraiser for a Lemur Conservation Network's member organization; sharing photos of lemurs seen at zoos or during travel to Madagascar, along with information about them, what is loved about them, and memories of the trip; creating and sharing information graphics about lemurs; holding a community event, such as a lemur-themed happy hour, film screening, or costume party; visiting a school to teach kids about lemurs; or walking around in a lemur costume.

Plan your own event. Consider collaborating with a Lemur Conservation Network member organization to create one. Send details about your activity or event to the Lemur Conservation Network for them to add to their event calendar, and check the calendar for other events to attend.

Join the Lemur Conservation Network.

Volunteer with the Lemur Conservation Network or with an organization in Madagascar that protects lemurs.

Read a book about Madagascar.

Listen to a podcast about lemurs or Madagascar.

If you are a teacher, you could use the Lemur Conservation Network's teaching resources for your classroom.

Check out the Lemur Conservation Network's "Professional Resources for Research and Conservation."

Check for other ideas on the Lemur Conservation Network's "How to Help" page.

The Lemur Conservation Network suggests contacting them to learn more about participating in the day.

Source

[unexplained-events]

The Fotsianondre (meaning White Sheep)

This sheep humanoid cryptid is from Madagascar. The Fotsiaondre has white woolly fur spotted with black and/or brown. Witnesses say it has bulging eyes, a long muzzle, floppy ears, and cloven hooves. It is said to be nocturnal and an herbivore. 

It has been suggested that the Fotsianondre is actually an exaggerated description of a known species of lemur. Or perhaps a creature similar to the Kidoky, more like a remnant of one of the giant subfossil lemurs believed to have gone extinct between 200 and 500 years ago.

SOURCE

[alphynix]

Island Weirdness #18 -- Palaeopropithecus

The island of Madagascar has been isolated from other landmasses for almost 90 million years, and as a result there are many lineages present there found nowhere else on Earth.

Lemurs are one of the island’s most famous residents, having arrived from Africa via a rafting event sometime early in the Cenozoic and evolving to fill the ecological niches occupied elsewhere by monkeys and apes. But while there are around 100 lemur species alive today, there used to be more before the arrival of humans -- subfossil remains from the last 25,000 years hint at an ecology with even greater diversity, and types of lemurs much larger than any still living today.

The sloth lemurs, as their name suggests, resembled modern sloths in a remarkable case of convergent evolution. With long limbs and long hooked fingers and toes they were adapted for swinging through trees and hanging from branches, feeding on a wide range of plant material such as leaves, fruit, and seeds.

Palaeopropithecus was one of the larger members of this group, and the most specialized for sloth-like upside-down suspension. Three different species have been identified, with the biggest (Palaeopropithecus maximus) possibly measuring around 1m long (3′3″).

It probably spent almost its entire life in the trees, and would have been slow and awkward on the ground. Malagasy folklore about a creature known as the tretretretre or tratratratra, which couldn’t navigate on smooth flat surfaces, may even represent a cultural memory of Palaeopropithecus from before its extinction -- which may have happened as recently as within the last 500-1000 years.

[paleontoluci-blog]

Pictured: the Madagascar NIU 2019 Paleontology Team!

The duration of the trip was one month, in which we went to Ampasambazimba, Tsaramody, and Tsinjoarivo.  During that one month stay, we all did different things.  One person was studying elephant birds there, the giant subfossil birds that’s closest living relative happens to be the Kiwi bird.  Another was studying subfossil crocodiles, and others extinct pygmy hippos.  (Trust me though, they’re not THAT small!)

I happened to be studying the gorilla sized subfossil lemur...Archaeoindris fontoynontii.  This guy is massive!  (See skull picture above)  

So, what exactly is this thing and why did it go extinct?  I’ll try my hand at telling you in posts to come.  

After having studied the only specimens in the world in Madagascar, all 6 of them (pretty small amount, I know), I was tasked with finding out if this one fraction of some random bone was part of the elusive Archaeoindrii.  

Follow my posts and/or blog to find out if it was, or was not... *insert dramatic music here*

Signing off, 

Lucillia the Upcoming Paleontologist  

[ceoofcrimes]

"top 10 weird animal lists" are always like, axolotl. owl. generic frog. im tired of it. where are the lists that have extinct australian marsupial lions martinique giant rice rats subfossil lemurs elephant bird moa etc etc

[nebris]

Archaeoindris fontoynontii is an extinct giant lemur and the largest primate known to have evolved on Madagascar, comparable in size to a male gorilla.  It belonged to a family of extinct lemurs known as "sloth lemurs" (Palaeopropithecidae), and because of its extremely large size, it has been compared to the ground sloths that once roamed North and South America.  It was most closely related to Palaeopropithecus, the second largest type of sloth lemur.  Along with the other sloth lemurs, Archaeoindris was related to the living indri, sifakas, and woolly lemurs, as well as the recently extinct monkey lemurs (Archaeolemuridae).  The genus, Archaeoindris, translates to "ancient indri-like lemur", even though it probably became extinct recently, around 350 BCE.

Archaeoindris was first described by Herbert F. Standing in 1909 based on subfossil fragmentary jaws, although Charles Lamberton later discovered a complete skull.  Only six bones from the lower skeleton have been found, and excavations in the 1980s offered no leads for new finds.  Its remains have been found at only one location: Ampasambazimba, a subfossil site in central Madagascar.  Following its initial discovery, some subfossil remains of Megaladapis grandidieri (a type of extinct koala lemur) were mistakenly associated with Archaeoindris, while smaller leg bones from a juvenile and a massive adult leg bone were erroneously assumed to belong to two separate species.  These errors were gradually corrected between the 1930s and 1980s.  The skeleton of Archaeoindris was massive and robust, and shared many traits with that of Palaeopropithecus.  The arms were longer than the legs, but no hand or foot bones have been found for comparison with the other sloth lemurs.

Size estimates based on the limited remains have varied widely, ranging as high as 244 kilograms (538 pounds), but the most thorough   statistical investigation using regression analyses predicts a mass of 160 kg (350 lb).  Misattributions and limited remains have resulted in varying opinions about the way Archaeoindris moved in its environment, ranging from tree-dwelling to ground-dwelling.  Its skeleton suggests it was a deliberate climber that visited the ground to travel.  The diet of Archaeoindris was mostly leaves, and its habitat—prior to human arrival—was a mix of woodlands, bushlands, and savanna, rich in lemur diversity.  Today, the region is dominated by grasslands and lemur diversity is very low in the nearest protected area, Ambohitantely Special Reserve.  Although it was a rare lemur, it was still extant when humans first arrived on Madagascar, and it would have been vulnerable to hunting and habitat loss.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archaeoindris

[yhwhrulz]

Wiktionary Daily Article 23rd January 2022

Archaeoindris fontoynontii is a gorilla-sized extinct giant lemur, the largest primate known from Madagascar. This sloth lemur was related to the extinct Palaeopropithecus and became extinct around 350 BCE. It was first described by Herbert F. Standing in 1909 based on subfossil jaw fragments, although a complete skull was later found. Only six bones from the lower skeleton have been located. The skeleton was massive and the arms were longer than the legs, but no hand or foot bones are known. Size estimates  range as high as 244.1 kilograms (538.1 pounds), but regression analyses predict a mass of 160 kg (350 lb). Misattributions and limited remains have resulted in differing opinions about how this lemur moved. Its skeleton suggests it was a climber that also travelled on the ground. Its diet was mostly leaves, and its former habitat, a mix of woodlands and savanna,  is now mainly grassland. When humans arrived on Madagascar, it was still extant but vulnerable to hunting and habitat loss.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archaeoindris

[sciencespies]

Newly sequenced genome of extinct giant lemur sheds light on animal's biology

https://sciencespies.com/nature/newly-sequenced-genome-of-extinct-giant-lemur-sheds-light-on-animals-biology/

Newly sequenced genome of extinct giant lemur sheds light on animal's biology

Using an unusually well-preserved subfossil jawbone, a team of researchers — led by Penn State and with a multi-national team of collaborators including scientists from the Université d’Antananarivo in Madagascar — has sequenced for the first time the nuclear genome of the koala lemur (Megaladapis edwardsi), one of the largest of the 17 or so giant lemur species that went extinct on the island of Madagascar between about 500 and 2,000 years ago. The findings reveal new information about this animal’s position on the primate family tree and how it interacted with its environment, which could help in understanding the impacts of past lemur extinctions on Madagascar’s ecosystems.

“More than 100 species of lemurs live on Madagascar today, but in recent history, the diversity of these animals was even greater,” said George Perry, associate professor of anthropology and biology, Penn State. “From skeletal remains and radiocarbon dating, we know that at least 17 species of lemurs have gone extinct, and that these extinctions happened relatively recently. What’s fascinating is that all the extinct lemurs were bigger than the ones that survived, and some substantially so; for example, the one we studied weighed about 180 pounds.”

Perry explained that much is unknown about the biology of these extinct lemurs and what their ecosystems were like. There is even uncertainty about how they were related to each other and to the extant lemurs that are alive today. This is due, in part, he said, to the difficulty inherent in working with ancient DNA, especially from animals that lived in tropical and sub-tropical locations.

“While many nuclear genomes of extinct animals have now been sequenced since the first extinct animal — the woolly mammoth — had its nuclear genome sequenced at Penn State in 2008, relatively few of these species have been from warmer climates due to faster DNA degradation in these conditions,” said Perry. “For example, to date, Penn State’s Ancient DNA Laboratory has screened hundreds of extinct lemur subfossils [or ancient bones that have not yet gone through the process of turning into rock]. Yet only two of our samples had sufficient DNA preservation for us to attempt to sequence the nuclear genome. The M. edwardsi jawbone was the best preserved.”

Part of the collection of the Laboratory of Primatology and Paleontology at the University of Antananarivo, the jawbone that the team used in its study — which was published today (June 22) in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences — had originally been discovered at Beloha Anavoha in southern Madagascar. Carbon-14 dating, a commonly used method for determining the age of archeological artifacts of a biological origin, revealed that the M. edwardsi jawbone was about 1,475 years old.

The team used a fragment of the jawbone to sequence the nuclear genome of M. edwardsi. Nuclear DNA contains information about both parents, whereas mitochondrial DNA, which is also used to study extinct species, only contains information about the mother.

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In addition to M. edwardsi, the team newly sequenced the genomes of two extant — or currently living — lemur species: the weasel sportive lemur (Lepilemur mustelinus) and the red-fronted lemur (Eulemur rufifrons). The DNA from these species came from ear punches that members of the team, led by Edward E. Louis Jr., director of conservation genetics at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium and general director of the Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership, obtained from wild-caught individuals.

“Previous studies based on skull and teeth comparisons suggested that M. edwardsi was closely related to L. mustelinus,” said Stephanie Marciniak, postdoctoral scholar in anthropology, Penn State. “However, our genetic analyses revealed that M. edwardsi is more closely related to E. rufifrons.”

According to Perry, the first genetic study of M. edwardsi — conducted in 2005 by Anne Yoder, Braxton Craven Professor of Evolutionary Biology at Duke University and her team, and now a co-author of the current paper — was an analysis of a small fragment of the species’ mitochondrial DNA.

“When Anne and her team observed the phylogenetic placement of Megaladapis to be more closely related to Eulemur than to Lepilemur, it was somewhat of a shock, in a cool way,” he said. “But uncertainty about the relationship between Megaladapis and other lemurs has continued to linger among scientists. That 2005 study was a really important one, and now with the more sophisticated technology available to us today, we robustly confirmed that major finding.”

In addition to extant lemur species, the team also compared M. edwardsi’s genome to the genomes of dozens of more distantly related species, including golden snub-nosed colobine monkeys, which are folivores, and horses, which are herbivores.

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“We found similarities between M. edwardsi and these two species in some of the genes that encode protein products that function in the biodegradation of plant toxins and in nutrient absorption, consistent with dental evidence suggesting that M. edwardsi was folivorous,” said Marciniak.

Specifically, the researchers identified similarities between M. edwardsi and the golden snub-nosed monkey across genes with hydrolase activity functions, and between M. edwardsi and horse across genes with brush border functions.

“Hydrolases help to break down plant secondary compounds, while brush border microvilli play crucial roles in nutrient absorption and chemical breakdown in the gut,” said Marciniak.

In the future, the team plans to analyze DNA from additional extinct lemurs and non-lemur primates with the goal of continuing to fill in the gaps in the primate family tree.

“For now,” said Perry, “we are excited to have been able to analyze M. edwardsi’s nuclear genome sequence for insights into the evolutionary biology and behavioral ecology of this extinct animal and to have resolved its phylogenetic relationship with some other extant lemurs.”

#Nature

[raymondmccullers]

Newly sequenced genome of extinct giant lemur sheds light on animal’s biology

Using an unusually well-preserved subfossil jawbone, a team of researchers has sequenced for the first time the nuclear genome of the koala lemur (Megaladapis edwardsi), one of the largest of the 17 or so giant lemur species that went extinct on the island of Madagascar between about 500 and 2,000 years ago. Newly sequenced genome of extinct giant lemur sheds light on animal’s biology syndicated from https://triviaqaweb.blogspot.com/

[rabbitcruiser]

World Lemur Day 

World Lemur Day celebrates lemurs and spreads the word about the need to conserve them; it inspires a love for them and actions to save them from extinction. It also celebrates Madagascar, the island nation located 250 miles off the east coast of Africa that lemurs call home. Events are held around the world on the day, in person and virtually. World Lemur Day takes place on the last Friday of October, and the World Lemur Festival takes place during the weeks surrounding it.

Madagascar is rich in biodiversity, and much of its flora and fauna can be found nowhere else in the world, as is the case with lemurs. Scientists believe that lemurs may have gotten their start on Africa's mainland before arriving; they think lemurs floated to the island on vegetation, and then evolved and diversified over millions of years. Madagascar was a favorable environment for them because the landscape was habitable, there were varied food sources, and there weren't any large predators.

Today there are over 100 species of lemurs. By one count there are 112, but the number changes when new ones are identified through discoveries and genetic testing. Subfossils indicate there once were more and that some became extinct, possibly from being hunted by humans after humans arrived on the island. The 2020 update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species indicated that almost all lemur species were threatened with extinction and that almost a third were critically endangered.

The smallest lemur is the Madame's Berthe mouse lemur, weighing in at 30 grams, and the largest is the indri, which may weigh up to 9.5 kilograms. Subfossils indicate that some lemurs were once as large as gorillas. Some other lemurs are the ring-tailed lemur, dancing sifaka, and aye-aye. Lemurs have unique traits in common. They have a heightened sense of smell because of their long snouts and wet noses and have improved night vision because of their tapetum lucidum, an extra layer of tissue behind their retina. All lemurs except aye-ayes have incisors and canines that lean forward instead of upward, called toothcombs, which are used for grooming, as well as to eat seeds and bark.

The forests of Madagascar benefit from lemurs, who help them grow by pollinating plants and dispersing seeds. Lemurs eat fruit but don't digest the seeds, and leave the seeds around the forest in their droppings. They also may get seeds and pollen stuck in their fur while looking for fruits and nectar, and may pass them onto other flowers.

To protect lemurs, the challenges and threats they face must be known. They face habitat change and loss, climate change, invasive species, and poaching. The forests of Madagascar are decreasing in size, changing the habitats of lemurs. This negatively impacts individual lemurs and the species as a whole. Madagascar is one of the top countries affected by climate change caused by humans. Droughts in the south and yearly monsoons in the north have become more prevalent in the twenty-first century, affecting all life on the island, including lemurs. Being that Madagascar developed in isolation when non-native species enter the ecosystem, they can threaten those that live there. Lemurs are also hunted for the pet trade, for food, and for cultural reasons.

A "fady" is a taboo of the Malagasy people, those who reside in Madagascar. For some, hunting, killing, or eating the indri is fady, since legend says that the spirits of ancestors live on within them. The aye-aye is associated with evil, and legend says that bad things may happen to those who see one. They are often killed because of this.

Lemurs benefit from ecotourism. Those visiting Madagascar bring money to the local economy, and, in turn, the Malagasy see the benefit of having the lemurs around—tourism wouldn't thrive without them. As the economy grows, the lemurs benefit. Conservation work in Madagascar is complex and supports wildlife, habitats, and people. Building relationships with and working with the Malagasy is crucial. Establishing and maintaining protected areas, reforestation efforts, dealing with invasive species, captive breeding at zoos, and reintroducing and relocating species are all part of conservation efforts. These efforts are given a boost today with World Lemur Day!

How to Observe World Lemur Day

World Lemur Day is celebrated individually, but also by zoos and other organizations. Some ideas for participation include:

Post on social media with the hashtag #WorldLemurDay and tag the Lemur Conservation Network. They can be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Focus your posts on the urgency of lemur conservation and how everyone can help make a difference and save lemurs from extinction by working together. Use the social media guide to help you craft your posts.

Utilize the Lemur Conservation Network's participation guide for ideas on how individuals, member organizations, zoos, educators, and libraries can participate. For individuals, they suggest holding a fundraiser for a Lemur Conservation Network's member organization; sharing photos of lemurs seen at zoos or during travel to Madagascar, along with information about them, what is loved about them, and memories of the trip; creating and sharing information graphics about lemurs; holding a community event, such as a lemur-themed happy hour, film screening, or costume party; visiting a school to teach kids about lemurs; or walking around in a lemur costume.

Plan your own event. Consider collaborating with a Lemur Conservation Network member organization to create one. Send details about your activity or event to the Lemur Conservation Network for them to add to their event calendar, and check the calendar for other events to attend.

Join the Lemur Conservation Network.

Volunteer with the Lemur Conservation Network or with an organization in Madagascar that protects lemurs.

Read a book about Madagascar.

Listen to a podcast about lemurs or Madagascar.

If you are a teacher, you could use the Lemur Conservation Network's teaching resources for your classroom.

Check out the Lemur Conservation Network's "Professional Resources for Research and Conservation."

Check for other ideas on the Lemur Conservation Network's "How to Help" page.

The Lemur Conservation Network suggests contacting them to learn more about participating in the day.

Source

[my-name-is-dahlia]

Dictionary (pt.cvi)

Words taken from “Giant subfossil lemur graveyard discovered, submerged, in Madagascar” (2015) by Rosenberger et al.:

subfossil (n.) a bone or other part of an organism that has not fully fossilized because not enough time has elapsed since the animal died or because the conditions in which the remains were deposited were not optimal for fossilization. [x]

karst (n.) a limestone region with underground drainage and many cavities and passages caused by the dissolution of the rock.

speleology (n.) the scientific study of caves.

stalactite (n.) ❤ a tapering deposit of calcite hanging down like an icicle from the roof of a cave, cliff overhang, etc. formed by dripping water.

stalagmite (n.) ❤ a mound or tapering column of calcite rising from the floor of a cave etc., deposited by dripping water and often uniting with a stalactite.

taphonomy (n.) the science concerned with the process of fossilization.

civet (n.) any of several carnivorous mammals of the Asian and African family Viverridae (which also includes the genets and mongooses), especially Viverra civetta of central Africa.

extirpate (v.) kill all the members of (a race, nation, etc.) or make (a species) extinct locally, but not globally.

frugivorous (adj.) (of an animal) feeding on fruit.

radiometer (n.) an instrument for measuring the intensity or force of radioactivity.

[alphynix]

Island Weirdness #20 -- Megaladapis

While some of the lemurs of Madagascar were surprisingly sloth-like, another lineage of these primates evolved in a different direction entirely.

Megaladapis was built similarly to a koala, with a rather squat body and hands and feet adapted for clinging onto branches. Three different species have been identified, with the largest measuring around 1.5m long (4′11″).

Its skull resembled that of a cow, with eyes on the sides of its head, a long snout, and powerful chewing jaw muscles for processing its diet of tough leaves. It also had a very unusual nose for a primate, with nasal bones similar to rhinos -- suggesting it may have had an enlarged prehensile upper lip used for grasping foliage.

Much like some of the sloth lemurs, carbon dating of subfossil remains indicates that these “koala lemurs” may have survived until surprisingly recently -- possibly only going extinct about 500-600 years ago.

[livioacerbo]

Wikipedia article of the day for November 11, 2018 selected by Livio Acerbo Bot

The Wikipedia article of the day for November 11, 2018 is Mesopropithecus. Mesopropithecus was a lemur from Madagascar, slightly larger than any of those alive today, but one of the smallest that are known only from subfossil remains. This genus of the sloth lemur family Palaeopropithecidae includes the species M. dolichobrachion, M. globiceps, and M. …

Continue reading "Wikipedia article of the day for November 11, 2018 selected by Livio Acerbo Bot"

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[alexamekita]

Aaaaand the largest. Detail from my subfossil lemur poster showcasing the variation in skull sizes of some specimens found in the extinct lemur family.

[planetinformation]

The Wikipedia article of the day for April 29, 2018 is Subfossil lemur. Subfossil lemurs are primates from Madagascar, especially the extinct giant lemurs, represented by subfossils (partially fossilized remains) dating from nearly 26,000 to around 560 years ago. Almost all of these species, including the sloth lemurs, koala lemurs and monkey lemurs, were living around 2,000 years ago, when humans first arrived on the island. The extinct species are estimated to have ranged in size from slightly over 10 kg (22 lb) to roughly 160 kg (350 lb). The subfossil sites found around most of the island demonstrate that most giant lemurs had wide distributions. Like living lemurs, they had poor day vision and relatively small brains, and developed rapidly, but they relied less on leaping, and more on terrestrial locomotion, slow climbing, and suspension. Although no recent remains of giant lemurs have been found, oral traditions and reported recent sightings by Malagasy villagers suggest that there may be lingering populations or very recent extinctions.