Virtual Non-Human Primate Zoo

SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION

  Order: Primates

    Suborder: Strepsirrhini

      Infraorder: Lemuriformes

        Superfamily:  Cheirogaleoidea

          Family:  Cheirogaleidae

            Genus:  Varecia

              Species:  rubra

 

COMMON NAME:

• Red Ruffed Lemur

 

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION:  northeastern Madagascar

   - specifically on the Masoala Peninsula

 

HABITAT:

• tropical moist lowland forest

• deciduous tropical forests

 

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

• chestnut red color

• white tuff on top of the head

• long (20+ inches) black tail

• black face

• long snout

• thick fur

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DIET:  Frugivore

• fruit

• flower nector and pollen

• leaves and seeds during dry season

 

LOCOMOTION TYPE:

• terrestrial and arboreal quadruped

• leaps between trees

 

SOCIAL GROUP ORGANIZATION:  

• multi-male/multi-female fission fusion group

 

PARENTAL CARE:  

• mother is primary caregiver

• care by group females (alloparenting)

• male participation includes guarding, grooming, and playing with offspring

 

COMMUNICATION:

• loud roar/shriek chorus

• gutteral barks used to communicate alarm, protect territory, and maintain group contact

• scent marking

 

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES:

• Very vocal, can be heard almost a mile away

• Female give birth to a multi-offspring litter (1 to 5 infants at a time)

• Mothers practice 'infant stashing' - hiding infants in dense foliage while she forages for food

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ENDANGERMENT STATUS:

  Critically Endangered

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To learn more about Varecia rubra, visit the following websites:

1. Duke Lemur Center - Red Ruffed Lemur

2. IUCN Red List of Endangered Species - Varecia rubra

3. LemurWorld - Red Ruffed Lemur

4. Animal Diversity Web - Varecia rubra red ruffed lemur

5. Primate Info Net - Ruffed lemur Varecia

 

Information and photographs compiled by T. Escobar.