Eulemur cinereiceps

Geographic Range

Gray-headed lemurs are found in southeastern Madagascar. Also known as white-collared lemurs, their distribution range is restricted within a thin band of rainforest located between the Manampatra River and Mananara River. In 2005 the extent of native habitat in that area was only 270 square miles.

• Biogeographic Regions
• ethiopian ethiopian
  • introduced introduced

• Other Geographic Terms
• island endemic island endemic

Habitat

Gray-headed lemurs spend majority of their time in the upper layers of forests. They are found to inhabit lowland and mid-altitude rainforest, which includes littoral and montane forest habitats.

• Habitat Regions
• tropical tropical
• terrestrial terrestrial

• Terrestrial Biomes
• forest forest
• rainforest rainforest

• Other Habitat Features
• intertidal or littoral intertidal or littoral

Physical Description

Gray-headed lemurs are medium-sized lemurs with a head-body length of 39 to 40.5 cm and a tail length of 50 to 55 cm. They have a weight range of 2 to 2.5 kg, with no significant differences between male and female weights. Less distinct in females, gray-headed lemurs are known for their bushy white beard or collar. Males tend to have darker gray to brownish-colored bodies with gray heads and faces. Males may often have a dark brown stripe running down the middle of their dorsum and tail. Females, however, have redder-brown bodies with less bushy, reddish-brown beards. Male gray-headed lemurs were also found to have distinctly larger canines than females. Lemur species, in general, are known to have 5 digits on each limb with dental formulas of 2/2, 1/1, 3/3, 3/3 = 36.

• Other Physical Features
• endothermic endothermic
• homoiothermic
• bilateral symmetry bilateral symmetry

• Sexual Dimorphism
• sexes colored or patterned differently

Reproduction

Little is known about the reproductive biology of gray-headed lemurs. However, it is likely similar to other brown lemurs . Thus, the mating system of gray-headed lemurs may either be monogamous or polygynous.

Availability of studies for general reproductive behavior of gray-headed lemurs is quite limited. However, closely relative species, such as other brown lemurs , have matings occurring between June and July and parturition between September and November. Gestation period of lemurs is thought to be approximately 126 to 140 days. Females tend to give birth to one offspring, however there is evidence of twins being produced occasionally.

• Key Reproductive Features
• iteroparous iteroparous
• year-round breeding year-round breeding
• gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate)
• sexual sexual
• viviparous viviparous

Parental investment is not described in gray-headed lemurs. In many lemur species, infants tend to stay with their mothers until old enough to move on their own. In the first few weeks after parturition, baby lemurs usually cling onto their mother’s chest then gradually transition to riding on their mother’s back. Young lemurs are generally weaned at five to six months old. Males of related lemur species carry their infants regularly as well.

• Parental Investment
• altricial altricial
• pre-fertilization
  • provisioning
  • protecting
    • female
• pre-hatching/birth
  • provisioning
    • female
  • protecting
    • female
• pre-weaning/fledging
  • provisioning
    • female
  • protecting
    • male
    • female
• pre-independence
  • provisioning
    • female
  • protecting
    • male
    • female

Lifespan/Longevity

Gray-headed lemurs are thought to have a maximum lifespan of up to 20 to 25 years in the wild.

Behavior

Gray-headed lemurs are arboreal quadrupeds that utilize leaping locomotion. This species partially relies on vertical postures and support use. They live in multi-male/multi-female social systems, with group sizes ranging 4 to 17 individuals. Unlike other lemurs, dominance hierarchies within gray-headed lemurs are not found to exist in either sex. Populations of gray-headed lemurs have also been found to maintain loose, fission-fusion communities. Although rare in mammals, fission-fusion communities are flexible social groups that allow members to change subgroups from time to time. The adaptation of a fission-fusion structure may be due to the poor habitat quality in which white-collared lemurs reside. It is thought to be a response to increased feeding competition when resources within an area are limited. Gray-headed lemurs are also found to exhibit cathermerality (i.e., active during day and night). Cathermerality in lemurs is thought to be an adaptive response towards thermoregulation, feeding competition, and feeding time when resources are scarce.

• Key Behaviors
• arboreal arboreal
• diurnal diurnal
• nocturnal nocturnal
• motile motile
• sedentary sedentary
• territorial territorial
• social social

Home Range

Home range size in gray-headed lemurs are not reported in the literature.

Communication and Perception

Lemur species use vocalization and scent markings as their form of communication. Vocalizations created by lemurs usually vary by species. They rely heavily on their sense of smell. The combination of a dog-like snout and rhinarium allow lemurs to identify danger and locate young when separated. Located on the wrist and/or genital regions, scent glands are used to mark habitat, alert members of intruders, and for mating purposes.

• Communication Channels
• tactile tactile
• acoustic acoustic
• chemical chemical

• Other Communication Modes
• scent marks scent marks

• Perception Channels
• visual visual
• tactile tactile
• acoustic acoustic
• chemical chemical

Food Habits

Gray-headed lemurs have a highly diverse diet. They primarily feed on fruits with small portions of flowers, leaves, and nectar. These lemurs may occasionally eat fungi but rarely insects.

• Primary Diet
• herbivore herbivore
  • frugivore frugivore

• Animal Foods
• insects

• Plant Foods
• leaves
• fruit
• nectar
• flowers

• Other Foods
• fungus

Predation

Data on predation of gray-headed lemurs is lacking. However, their predators are likely to be fossas, hawks, and humans.

Ecosystem Roles

Gray-headed lemurs can play an important role in the maintenance and regeneration of ecosystems. As prominent frugivores, these lemurs may aid in the dispersal of seeds. They may also serve as a source of prey for other animals.

Economic Importance for Humans: Positive

Gray-headed lemurs are hunted with the use of slingshots, snares, and shotguns as a source of food for humans. A breeding program is located in the Linton Zoological Gardens, where the species is used for attraction and educational purposes as well.

• Positive Impacts
• food food
• research and education

Economic Importance for Humans: Negative

There are no known adverse effects of gray-headed lemurs on humans.

Conservation Status

Like all other lemurs, gray-headed lemurs are listed under Appendix I by CITES. Listed as critically endangered by IUCN, gray-headed lemurs have the lowest reported population density (8.7-13.5/km2) among other brown lemur species. Gray-headed lemurs are greatly threatened by continuous hunting and destruction of their already restricted habitat. Ongoing conversion of habitats into agricultural lands and selective logging are the primary causes of lemur habitat destruction. The Manombo Special Reserve and the Agnalazaha Forest are two areas inhabited by gray-headed lemur populations that are now being managed by Missouri Botanical Garden. A high conservation priority is given towards the expansion of the Manombo Special Reserve. In 2009, about a dozen gray-headed lemurs were found in four zoological collections. Only one of the four zoological collections, however, keeps a breeding group of gray-headed lemurs.

Other Comments

In 2008, Johnson et al conducted a study to distinguish Eulemur albocollaris and Eulemur cinereiceps as two separate taxa. However, no evidence was found to support his hypothesis. Thus, Eulemur cinereiceps was given priority as the valid name. Eulemur albocollaris is a junior synonym of Eulemur cinereiceps .

Additional Links

Encyclopedia of Life

Contributors

Jean Marie Acuna (author), University of Alaska Fairbanks, Laura Prugh (editor), University of Washington, Tanya Dewey (editor), University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.

References

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