James' sportive lemur

James' sportive lemur
CITES Appendix I (CITES)[2]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Suborder: Strepsirrhini
Family: Lepilemuridae
Genus: Lepilemur
Species:
L. jamesi
Binomial name
Lepilemur jamesi
Louis et al., 2006[3]
Distribution of L. jamesorum[1]
Synonyms
  • L. jamesorum

James' sportive lemur (Lepilemur jamesi), or the Manombo sportive lemur, is a sportive lemur endemic to Madagascar.[4] Like all members of its genus, it is nocturnal and largely folivorous. It is threatened by habitat loss and unsustainable hunting.[1]

Taxonomy and phylogenetics

James' sportive lemur was described in 2006 based on genetic samples and morphometrics collected in 2000 as Lepilemur jamesi.[5] The name was presumed to be incorrectly formed and was corrected in 2009 to Lepilemur jamesorum.[6] However, this change was deemed to be an unjustified emendation.[7] The specific epithet jamesi honors Larry, Jeanette and Barry James for their support of Malagasy graduate students.[5]

Genetic analyses show that James' sportive lemur is a sister species to the Betsileo sportive lemur.[8]

Description

James' sportive lemur possesses short, smooth fur, which is generally brown on the back and lighter grayish-brown on the belly and underside of the extremities. The tail is brown closer to the body, and fades into black towards the tip. The face has whitish-gray markings across the jaw and throat from the chin to the ears, and the top of the head is brown with a black midline that continues down almost the entire length of the body. The ears are gray on the back with black borders, usually with a small cream-colored path directly below on the sides of the face.[4][5]

James' sportive lemur is medium-sized for its genus. It has a head-body length of 26 cm (10 in) and a tail length of 30 cm (12 in), making its total length 56 cm. It weighs approximately 780 g (28 oz).[4][5]

Distribution and habitat

James' sportive lemur is found in southeastern Madagascar, where it is known from the Manombo Special Reserve and the Manombo Classified Forest.[4] The exact boundaries of its range are unknown, but the Manampatrana River and the Mananara River have been suggested as potential northern and southern limits.[5] Within its range, James' sportive lemur inhabits one of the last remaining, low-altitude coastal rainforests in the southeast.[4]

The estimated population density of James' sportive lemur in the Manombo Special Reserve and the Manombo Classified Forest are 45 individuals/km2 and 23 individuals/km2, respectively. The total population is approximately 1,386 individuals, as of 2010.[9]

Threats and conservation

James' sportive lemur is in decline due to habitat loss from shifting agriculture and unsustainable levels of hunting. This decline, in addition to its extremely small distribution, led to its listing as Critically Endangered (CR) on the IUCN Red List in 2020.[1]

James' sportive lemur has appeared twice on the World's 25 Most Endangered Primates list, once in 2017[10] and again in 2021.[11] As of 2022, it was not being held in captivity.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Andriamisedra, T.R.; Ranaivoarisoa, F.N.; Ratsimbazafy, J.; Louis, E.E. (2020). "Lepilemur jamesorum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T136491A115583306. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T136491A115583306.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ^ "Checklist of CITES Species". CITES. UNEP-WCMC. Archived from the original on 15 November 2013. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  3. ^ Louis Jr., E.E.; Engberg, S.E.; Lei, R.; Geng, H.; Sommer, J.A.; Ramaromilanto, R.; Randriamanana, J.C.; Zaonarivelo, J.R.; Andriantompohavana, R.; Randria, G.; Prosper; Ramaromilanto, B.; Rakotoarisoa, G.; Rooney, A.; Brenneman, R.A. (2006). "Molecular and morphological analyses of the sportive lemurs (Family Megaladapidae: Genus Lepilemur) reveals 11 previously unrecognized species" (PDF). Texas Tech University Special Publications (49): 1–49. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2018-12-20. Retrieved 2015-03-20.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Mittermeier, Russell; Reuter, Kim; Rylands, Anthony; Louis, Edward; Ratsimbazafy, Jonah; Rene de Roland, Lily-Arison; Langrand, Olivier; Schwitzer, Christoph; Johnson, Steig (2023). Lemurs of Madagascar (5th ed.). Re:wild. ISBN 978-1737285168.
  5. ^ a b c d e Louis, Edward E. (2006). Molecular and morphological analyses of the sportive lemurs (Family Megaladapidae: Genus Lepilemur) reveals 11 previously unrecognized species. Museum of Texas Tech University. Lubbock, TX : Museum of Texas Tech University. ISBN 978-1-929330-10-2.
  6. ^ Hoffmann, Michael; Grubb, Peter; Groves, Colin P.; Hutterer, Rainer; Straeten, Erik Van Der; Simmons, Nancy; Bergmans, Wim (2009-08-21). "A synthesis of African and western Indian Ocean Island mammal taxa (Class: Mammalia) described between 1988 and 2008: an update to Allen (1939) and Ansell (1989)". Zootaxa. 2205 (1): 1–36. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.2205.1.1. ISSN 1175-5334.
  7. ^ "Lepilemur jamesi (ASM Mammal Diversity Database #1001022)". Mammal Diversity Database. American Society of Mammalogists. Archived from the original on 2024-07-15. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
  8. ^ Lei, Runhua; Frasier, Cynthia L.; Hawkins, Melissa T. R.; Engberg, Shannon E.; Bailey, Carolyn A.; Johnson, Steig E.; McLain, Adam T.; Groves, Colin P.; Perry, George H.; Nash, Stephen D.; Mittermeier, Russell A.; Louis, Edward E. (2016-10-03). "Phylogenomic Reconstruction of Sportive Lemurs (genusLepilemur) Recovered from Mitogenomes with Inferences for Madagascar Biogeography". Journal of Heredity. 108 (2): 107–119. doi:10.1093/jhered/esw072. ISSN 0022-1503. PMID 28173059. Archived from the original on 2024-05-04. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
  9. ^ Ingraldi, Christina (2010). Forest Fragmentation and Edge Effects on Eight Sympatric Lemur Species in Southeast Madagascar (PDF) (Masters thesis). University of Calgary.
  10. ^ Gaworecki, Mike (2017-11-28). "Here is the most current list of the world's top 25 most endangered primates". Mongabay Environmental News. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
  11. ^ Georgia, University of; Tennessee, University of. "Meet the Planet's 25 Most Endangered Primates". Treehugger. Archived from the original on 2024-06-20. Retrieved 2024-09-05.


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