Gray Mouse Lemur
Microcebus murinus
Conservation Status
Least ConcernMammalia · Primates · Cheirogaleidae
About
The gray mouse lemur, grey mouse lemur or lesser mouse lemur is a small lemur, a type of strepsirrhine primate, found only on the island of Madagascar. Weighing 58 to 67 grams, it is the largest of the mouse lemurs, a group that includes the smallest primates in the world. The species is named for its mouse-like size and coloration and is known locally as tsidy, koitsiky, titilivaha, pondiky, and vakiandry. The gray mouse lemur and all other mouse lemurs are considered cryptic species, as they are nearly indistinguishable from each other by appearance. For this reason, the gray mouse lemur was considered the only mouse lemur species for decades until more recent studies began to distinguish between the species.
Fun Fact
Grey mouse lemurs weigh just 60 grams yet can enter daily torpor to save energy, dropping their metabolic rate by 90% — they are the smallest primates in the world.
Quick Facts
Habitat
Dry deciduous forests
Diet
Omnivore
Lifespan
6-8 years
Threats
- Illegal Logging
- Habitat Fragmentation