Microcebus mittermeieri, Louis Jr., Coles, Andriantompohavana, Sommer, Engberg, Zaonarivelo, Mayor & Brenneman, 2006

Russell A. Mittermeier, Anthony B. Rylands & Don E. Wilson, 2013, Cheirogaleidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 3 Primates, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 28-65 : 57

19.

Mittermeier’s Mouse Lemur

Microcebus mittermeieri

French: Microcebe de Mittermeier / German: Mittermeier-Mausmaki / Spanish: Lémur ratén de Mittermeier

Taxonomy. Microcebus mittermeieri Louis et al., 2006 ,

Madagascar, province of Antsiranana, Anjanaharibe-Sud Special Reserve (14° 48’ S, 49° 28’ E).

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. NE Madagascar from in and around Anjanaharibe-Sud Special Reserve as far NW as Bealalana.

Descriptive notes. Head-body ¢.8 cm, tail c.12 cm; weight 46 g. Mittermeier’s Mouse Lemur is one of the smallest mouse lemurs of Madagascar’s eastern rainforests. The head and dorsal coat are light reddishbrown to rust, with an orange tint at the base of the forelimbs and hindlimbs, while the ventral coat is whitish-brown. The tail is brown above with a darker brown mid-dorsal stripe and a black tip. A distinctive white patch extends along the rostrum past the level of the eyes, which are underlined with yellow. Yellow coloration is also present under the chin and extends along the ventral aspect of the neck.

Habitat. [Lowland and highland rainforest and subhumid forest up to elevations of 1760 m.

Food and Feeding. There is no specific information available for this species, but undoubtedly fruits and insects are eaten, and possibly other items identified in the diets of other members of the genus.

Breeding. There is no information available for this species.

Activity patterns. Mittermeier’s Mouse Lemur is nocturnal and arboreal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. There is little information available for this species. At the 150ha primary forest site of Antambato near Bealalana, densities are 2-2 ind/ha.

Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix I. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. However, at the IUCN/SSC Lemur Red-Listing Workshop held in July 2012, Mittermeier’s Mouse Lemur was assessed as endangered due to its small extent of occurrence and ongoing decline. The only protected area in which Mittermeier’s Mouse Lemur is known to occur is Anjanaharibe-Sud Special Reserve. It is known to be sympatric with the Anjiahely Mouse Lemur ( M. macarthurii ) in some ofits distribution.

Bibliography. Louis, Coles et al. (2006), Mittermeier et al. (2010), Radespiel et al. (2008), Randrianambinina et al. (2010).

Figures

1. Gray Mouse Lemur (Microcebus murinus), 2. Gray-brown Mouse Lemur (Microcebus griseorufus), 3. Madame Berthe’s Mouse Lemur (Microcebus berthae), 4. Peters’s Mouse Lemur (Microcebus myoxinus), 5. Golden-brown Mouse Lemur (Microcebus ravelobensis), 6. Bongolava Mouse Lemur (Microcebus bongolavensis), 7. Ambarijeby Mouse Lemur (Microcebus danfossi), 8. Margot Marsh’s Mouse Lemur (Mucrocebus margotmarshae), 9. Sambirano Mouse Lemur (Microcebus sambiranensis), 10. Nosy Be Mouse Lemur (Microcebus mamaratra), 11. Tavaratra Mouse Lemur (Microcebus tavaratra), 12. Montagne d’Ambre Mouse Lemur (Microcebus arnholdi), 13. Rufous Mouse Lemur (Mucrocebus rufus), 14. Jolly’s Mouse Lemur (Microcebus jollyae), 15. Gerp’s Mouse Lemur (Microcebus gerpi), 16. Goodman’s Mouse Lemur (Microcebus lehilahytsara), 17. Simmons’s Mouse Lemur (Microcebus simmonsi), 18. Anjiahely Mouse Lemur (Mucrocebus macarthuri), 19. Mittermeier’s Mouse Lemur (Microcebus mittermeieri)

Distribution. NE Madagascar from in and around Anjanaharibe-Sud Special Reserve as far NW as Bealalana.