Lepilemur mittermeieri Rabarivola et al., 2006

Scientific name:

Lepilemur mittermeieri

Scientist name:

Rabarivola et al., 2006

Malagasy:

Apongy, Fitsidika

English:

Mittermeier’s Sportive Lemur

German:

Mittermeier’s Wieselmaki

Other english:

None

French:

Lépilémur de Mittermeier

Family:

LEPILEMURIDAE Gray, 1870

Taxa:

Lepilemur

Species

Identification

Lepilemur mittermeieri is a small sportive lemur with a head-body length of 27.1–29.2 cm, a tail length of 25.4–28.1 cm, a total length of 53.1–56.6 cm, and a body weight of 730 g (E. E. Louis Jr., unpubl. data). The dorsum is reddish-gray, with a dark brown to black midline stripe occasionally present on the top of the head. The tail is a uniform light reddish-gray to brown but darkens towards the tip. The face is gray and mask-like with whiter pelage under the eyes, extending under the mandible (Rabarivola et al., 2006; E. E. Louis Jr., pers. obs.). The taxonomy of the sportive lemurs in this part of Madagascar still remains to be clarified, especially the relationship between this species, L. dorsalis, and L. tymerlachsonorum.

Natural history

As of 2010, this species had not been studied in the wild.

Geographic range

Northwestern Madagascar. This species was described from the Ampasindava Peninsula (Rabarivola et al., 2006). Studies are now underway to determine if it ranges elsewhere. The sportive lemur in this area was formerly considered to be L. dorsalis.

Conservation status

There is insufficient information to determine the conservation status of L. mittermeieri, so the latest IUCN Red List assessment (2008) classified it as Data Deficient (DD). It is not known for certain from any protected area, but it might occur in the northern part of the newly-created Sahamalaza-Iles Radama National Park (C. Schwitzer, pers. obs.). As of 2010, this species was not being kept in captivity (I. J. Porton, pers. comm.).

Where to see it

This species can be seen on parts of the Ampasindava Peninsula. One site where it was recently observed (by R. A. Mittermeier) was in the Sorongono Forest at the northern tip of the peninsula, near the village of Amporaha. The Sorongono Forest is about a 15-minute boat ride from Amporaha, and right next to the Ambatomatavy Mountain (an important site that should be considered for protected area status).

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