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Microcebus tavaratra Rasoloarison et al., 2000

Scientific name: 
Scientist name: 
Rasoloarison et al., 2000
Malagasy: 
Tsidy, Tsitsihy, Vokimbahy
English: 
Tavaratra Mouse Lemur
German: 
Nördlicher Brauner Mausmaki
Other english: 
Northern Brown Mouse Lemur, Northern Rufous Mouse Lemur
French: 
Microcèbe roux du nord
Taxa: 

Species

Identification

Microcebus tavaratra is a relatively large mouse lemur with a head-body length of 12–14 cm, a tail length of 15–16 cm, a total length of 28–29 cm, and a body weight of 45–77 g (Rasoloarison et al., 2000; Andriantompohavana et al., 2006). The dorsal coat is brownish-black with a distinct midline stripe that extends either from the crown or from between the shoulders to the base of the tail. The ventral fur is typically bicolored, a mixture of whitish-beige and gray. The crown and ears are rufous, the region between the eyes is grayish-white, and there are distinct black markings around the anterior portions of the orbits. Although somewhat similar in appearance to M. ravelobensis (known only from the region of Ankarafantsika about 450 km to the southwest), this species is slightly smaller and less robust.