The Lemurs

Lemurs are small primates known as “prosimians,” which, roughly translated, means “pre-primates” or “before monkeys.” Native only to the island of Madagascar and the neighboring Comoro Islands, lemurs resemble the oldest ancestors of primates which existed tens of millions of years ago.

Madagascar lacks the dominant form of primate distributed worldwide, those of the suborder Haplorhini (monkeys, chimps, gorillas, and Homo sapiens). Instead, their niche has been filled by an older group of primates, the lemurs. Lemurs belong to the suborder Strepsirhini together with bushbabies, lorises, and pottos which like the original lemurs.

There has been a recent major taxonomic revision of lemur groups, together with the discovery and description of several new species like the Microcebus jonahi new species found and published by Professor Jonah Ratsimbazafy in 2020.

Actually, 112 species of lemurs are spread within 15 genera and 05 families:

Cheirogaleidae
Lepilemuridae
Lemuridae
Indridae
Daubentoniidae

All these 112 species are endemic to Madagascar (two lemur species were introduced to the Comoros) giving the country the highest number of primate species. Brazil has 77 species of primates but only two endemic genera and no endemic families, is second.

According of the IUCN Red List of Species (2015):

Ninety six (96) species were found to be threatened:

23 Critically Endangered
50 Endangered
20 Vulnerable
03 Near Threatened.

List and classifications of the Lemurs

N	Family	Species	Common name	Distribution - Habitat	Red List
1	Cheirogaleidae	Allocebus trichotis	Hairy-eared drawf lemur	NW	VU
2	Cheirogaleidae	Cheirogaleus adipicaudatus	Southern fat-tailed drawf lemur	SW	NT
3	Cheirogaleidae	Cheirogaleus andysabini	Montagne d'Ambre dwarf lemur or Andy Sabin's dwarf lemur	Montagne d'Ambre	NT
4	Cheirogaleidae	Cheirogaleus crossleyi	Crossleyi dwarf lemur (Furry-eared)	E, SE	DD
5	Cheirogaleidae	Cheirogaleus lavasoensis	Lavasoa dwarf lemur	Lavasoa	NT
6	Cheirogaleidae	Cheirogaleus major	Greater dwarf lemur	E, SE	DD
7	Cheirogaleidae	Cheirogaleus medius	Fat-tailed dwarf lemur	N, W, SW	LC
8	Cheirogaleidae	Cheirogaleus sibreei	Sibree's dwarf lemur	Fianarantsoa	CR
9	Cheirogaleidae	Cheirogaleus shethi	Ankarana dwarf lemur or Sheth's dwarf lemur	N	NT
10	Cheirogaleidae	Cheirogaleus thomasi	Thomas' Dwarf Lemur	SE	NT
11	Cheirogaleidae	Microcebus arnholdi	Montagne d'Ambre mouse lemur	Montagne d'Ambre	EN
12	Cheirogaleidae	Microcebus berthae	Madame Berthe's mouse lemur	Menabe	EN
13	Cheirogaleidae	Microcebus bongolavensis	Bongolava mouse lemur	Port-Berge	EN
14	Cheirogaleidae	Microcebus boraha	Boraha mouse lemur	Isle Sainte Marie	NT
15	Cheirogaleidae	Microcebus danfossae	Danfoss' mouse lemur or Ambarijeby mouse lemur	NW	EN
16	Cheirogaleidae	Microcebus ganzhorni	Ganzhorn's mouse lemur	Mandena	NT
17	Cheirogaleidae	Microcebus gerpi	Gerp's mouse lemur	Sahafina	CR
18	Cheirogaleidae	Microcebus griseorufus	Gray-bown mouse lemur	SW, S	LC
19	Cheirogaleidae	Microcebus jollyae	Jolly's mouse lemur	Kianjavato	EN
20	Cheirogaleidae	Microcebus jonahi	Jonah's mouse lemur	NE	NT
21	Cheirogaleidae	Microcebus lehilahytsara	Goodman's mouse lemur	Tsinjoarivo, Mantadia	VU
22	Cheirogaleidae	Microcebus macarthurii	Anjiahely mouse lemur	Anjiahely	EN
23	Cheirogaleidae	Microcebus mamiratra	Nosy be mouse lemur	Nosy be	CR
24	Cheirogaleidae	Microcebus manitatra	Manitatra mouse lemur	Ambatotsirongorongo	NT
25	Cheirogaleidae	Microcebus margotmarshae	Margot Marsh's mouse lemur	Antafondoro	EN
26	Cheirogaleidae	Microcebus marohita	Marohita mouse lemur	Foret de Marohita	CR
27	Cheirogaleidae	Microcebus mittermeieri	Mittermeier's mouse lemur	Anjanaharibe Sud	EN
28	Cheirogaleidae	Microcebus murinus	Gray mouse lemur	SW, W, N, SE	LC
29	Cheirogaleidae	Microcebus myoxinus	Peters' mouse lemur	W	VU
30	Cheirogaleidae	Microcebus ravelobensis	Golden-brown mouse lemur	Mahajanga	EN
31	Cheirogaleidae	Microcebus rufus	Rufous mouse lemur	E	VU
32	Cheirogaleidae	Microcebus sambiranensis	Sambirano mouse lemur	Manongarivo	EN
33	Cheirogaleidae	Microcebus simmonsi	Simmons' mouse lemur	Betampona, Zahamena, Tampolo	EN
34	Cheirogaleidae	Microcebus tanosi	Tanosy mouse lemur	SE	NT
35	Cheirogaleidae	Microcebus tavaratra	Tavaratra mouse lemur	N	VU
36	Cheirogaleidae	Mirza coquereli	Coquerel's giant mouse lemur	W, SW	EN
37	Cheirogaleidae	Mirza zaza	Northern giant mouse lemur	NW	EN
38	Cheirogaleidae	Phaner electromontis	Amber mountain fork-marked lemur	N	EN
39	Cheirogaleidae	Phaner furcifer	Masoala fork-marked lemur (Eastern)	NE	VU
40	Cheirogaleidae	Phaner pallescens	Pale fork-marked lemur	W, NW	EN
41	Cheirogaleidae	Phaner parienti	Sambirano fork-marked lemur (Pariente's)	Sambirano	EN
42	Cheirogaleidae	Lepilemur aeeclis	Antafia sportive lemur	Mitsinjo	VU
43	Cheirogaleidae	Lepilemur ahmansonorum	Tsiombikibo sportive lemur	Tsiombikibo	EN
44	Cheirogaleidae	Lepilemur ankaranensis	Ankarana sportive lemur (Northern)	N	EN
45	Cheirogaleidae	Lepilemur betsileo	Betsileo sportive lemur	Fandriana	EN
46	Cheirogaleidae	Lepilemur dorsalis	Grey sportive lemur (Grey-backed)	Sambirano	VU
47	Cheirogaleidae	Lepilemur edwardsi	Milne-Edward's sportive lemur	Mahajanga	EN
48	Cheirogaleidae	Lepilemur fleuretae	Andohahela sportive lemur	Andohahela	CR
49	Cheirogaleidae	Lepilemur grewcockorum	Anjiamangirana sportive lemur	Anjiamangirana	EN
50	Cheirogaleidae	Lepilemur hollandorum	Mananara-Nord sportive lemur	Mananara Nord	EN
51	Cheirogaleidae	Lepilemur hubbardorum	Zombitse sportive lemur	Zombitse	EN
52	Cheirogaleidae	Lepilemur jamesorum	Manombo sportive lemur	Manombo	CR
53	Cheirogaleidae	Lepilemur leucopus	White-footed sportive lemur	Ambovombe	EN
54	Cheirogaleidae	Lepilemur microdon	Small-toothed sportive lemur	SE	EN
55	Cheirogaleidae	Lepilemur millanoii	Daraina sportive lemur	N	EN
56	Cheirogaleidae	Lepilemur mittermeieri	Mittermeier's sportive lemur	Ampasindava	EN
57	Cheirogaleidae	Lepilemur mustelinus	Weasel sportive lemur	Toamasina	NT
58	Cheirogaleidae	Lepilemur otto	Ambodimahabibo sportive lemur	Ambodimahabibo	EN
59	Cheirogaleidae	Lepilemur petteri	Petter's sportive lemur	Bezaha Mahafaly	VU
60	Cheirogaleidae	Lepilemur randrianasoloi	Bemaraha sportive lemur	Bemaraha	EN
61	Cheirogaleidae	Lepilemur ruficaudatus	Red-tailed sportive lemur	Belo Tsiribihina	VU
62	Cheirogaleidae	Lepilemur sahamalazensis	Sahamalaza sportive lemur	Sahamalaza	CR
63	Cheirogaleidae	Lepilemur scottorum	Masoala sportive lemur	Masoala	EN
64	Cheirogaleidae	Lepilemur seali	Seal's sportive lemur	Anjanaharibe Sud	VU
65	Cheirogaleidae	Lepilemur septentrionalis	Sahafary sportive lemur	Far/Extreme Nord	CR
66	Cheirogaleidae	Lepilemur tymerlachsonorum	Nosy-be sportive lemur	Lokobe	CR
67	Cheirogaleidae	Lepilemur wrigthae	Wrigth's sportive lemur	Kalambatritra	EN
68	Lemuridae	Eulemur albifrons	White fronted brown lemur	NE	EN
69	Lemuridae	Eulemur cinereceips	White-collared brown lemur	SE	EN
70	Lemuridae	Eulemur collaris	Red-collared brown lemur	SE	EN
71	Lemuridae	Eulemur coronatus	Crowned lemur	N	EN
72	Lemuridae	Eulemur flavifrons	Blue-eyed Blac lemur	NW	CR
73	Lemuridae	Eulemur fulvus	Brown lemur	NE,E	NT
74	Lemuridae	Eulemur macaco	Blac lemur	N	VU
75	Lemuridae	Eulemur mongoz	Mongoose Lemur	NW	CR
76	Lemuridae	Eulemur rubriventer	Red-bellied lemur	E, N	VU
77	Lemuridae	Eulemur rufifrons	Red fronted brown lemur	E, W	NT
78	Lemuridae	Eulemur rufus	Rufous brown lemur	W, NW	VU
79	Lemuridae	Eulemur sanfordi	Sanford's brown lemur	N	EN
80	Lemuridae	Hapalemur alaotrensis	Lac Alaotra bamboo lemur	Lac Alaotra	CR
81	Lemuridae	Hapalemur aureus	Golden bamboo lemur	Ranomafana, Andringitra	CR
82	Lemuridae	Hapalemur griseus gilberti	Beanamalao bamboo lemur	E	EN
83	Lemuridae	Hapalemur griseus griseus	Gray bamboo lemur	E	VU
84	Lemuridae	Hapalemur griseus ranomafanensis	Ranomafana bamboo lemur	W	DD
85	Lemuridae	Hapalemur meridionalis	Southern bamboo lemur	SE	VU
86	Lemuridae	Hapalemur occidentalis	Nothern bamboo lemur	N, NE	VU
87	Lemuridae	Lemur catta	Ring-tailed lemur	SW	EN
88	Lemuridae	Prolemur simus	Greater bamboo lemur	E	CR
89	Lemuridae	Varecia rubra	Red-ruffed lemur	Masoala	CR
90	Lemuridae	Varecia variegata editorum	Southern black and white ruffed lemur	E, SE	CR
91	Lemuridae	Varecia variegata subcincta	Northern black and white ruffed lemur (White -belted)	NE, N	CR
92	Lemuridae	Varecia variegata variegata	Variegated black and white ruffed lemur	E	CR
93	Indridae	Avahi betsileo	Betsileo woolly-lemur	Fandriana	EN
94	Indridae	Avahi cleesei	Bemaraha woolly-lemur	Bemaraha	EN
95	Indridae	Avahi laniger	Eastern woolly-lemur	NE	VU
96	Indridae	Avahi meridionalis	Southern woolly-lemur	Mandena	EN
97	Indridae	Avahi mooreorum	Masoala woolly-lemur	Masoala	EN
98	Indridae	Avahi occidentalis	Western woolly-lemur	NW	EN
99	Indridae	Avahi peyrierasi	Peyriéras' woolly-lemur	SE	VU
100	Indridae	Avahi ramanantsoavanai	Manombo woolly-lemur	Manombo	VU
101	Indridae	Avahi unicolor	Sambirano woolly-lemur	Sambirano	EN
102	Indridae	Indri indri	Indri or Babakoto	E	CR
103	Indridae	Propithecus candidus	Silky sifaka	NE	CR
104	Indridae	Propithecus coquereli	Coquerel's sifaka	NW	EN
105	Indridae	Propithecus coronatus	Crowned sifaka	Ambararatabe	EN
106	Indridae	Propithecus deckenii	Decken's sifaka	Katsepy	EN
107	Indridae	Propithecus diadema	Diademed sifaka	Central Est	CR
108	Indridae	Propithecus edwardsi	Milne-Edwards'sifaka	SE	EN
109	Indridae	Propithecus perrieri	Perrier's sifaka	N	CR
110	Indridae	Propithecus tattersalli	Tattersall's sifaka (Golden-crowned)	Daraina	CR
111	Indridae	Propithecus verreauxi	Verraux's sifaka	S	EN
112	Daubentoniidae	Daubentonia madagascariensis	Aye-aye	E, N, NW	EN

IUCN Red List:
CR: Critically Endangered (The species is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild)
EN: Endangered (The species is facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild)
VU: Vulnerable (The species is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild)
NT: Near Threatened (The species does not currently qualify as being at high risk of extinction but it is likely to do so in the future)
LC: Least Concern (The species is not currently at risk of extinction in the wild)
DD: Data Deficient (There is inadequate information to assess the risk of extinction for this species)
NE: Not yet Evaluated

Distribution
* : Endemic species
**: Introduced species

The Lemurs

List and classifications of the Lemurs

Amphibians | Bats | Birds | Carnivores | Lemurs | Reptiles | Rodents | Tenrecs