Eulemur macaco (Linnaeus, 1766)

Russell A. Mittermeier, Anthony B. Rylands & Don E. Wilson, 2013, Lemuridae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 3 Primates, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 90-141 : 136

15.

Black Lemur

Eulemur macaco

French: Lémur noir / German: Mohrenmaki / Spanish: Lémur negro

Taxonomy. Lemur macaco Linnaeus, 1766 ,

Madagascar.

This species hybridizes with E. flavifrons throughout parts of the Manongarivo Special Reserve in the southern part of its distribution. Hybrids resemble E. flavifrons in fur coloration and lack of ear tufts, but they have light brown eyes. Populations in the Sahamalaza-Illes Radama National Park, just north of the Andranomalaza River,differ in fur coloration and prominence of ear tufts compared with populations in the northern part of the distribution. Monotypic.

Distribution. NW Madagascar from the Mahavavy River S to the Andranomalaza River, the E limit is poorly defined, butlikely occurs at the Tsaratanana Massif, and there are additional populations in forests of the Ampasindava Peninsula, on the inshore islands of Nosy Be and Nosy Komba, and in the coastal forests NE of Ambanja (including the peninsula leading to Nosy Faly). Introduced into the small islet of Nosy Tanikely.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 39-45 cm, tail 51-65 cm; weight 1.9-2 kg. The Black Lemur is a medium-sized, sexually dichromatic species. Males and young are uniformly dark chocolate-brown to black with lavish black ear tufts. In females, the dorsal coat varies from golden-brown to chestnut-brown, lighter on the flanks but darker on the tail. The ventral coat is typically creamy-white on the abdomen grading to cinnamon on the chin, and this coloration may continue to just below the eyes and ear tufts. The muzzle and interocular stripe are gray to black, the crown is a darker charcoal-gray, and ears are tufted with long whitish hairs. Eyes of both sexes are yellow to brownish-orange.

Habitat. Primary and secondary tropical moist lowland and montane forest from sea level to elevations of 1600 m. It is quite adaptable and has been reported from dry forest, forest-agriculture mosaics (coffee and cashew), and timber plantations. The Black Lemur (as well as its hybrids) is sympatric with the Brown Lemur (FE. fulvus ) on the Galoko, Manongarivo, and Tsaratanana massifs and in the Ifasy and Ramena river valleys and with the Red-bellied Lemur ( E. rubriventer ) on the Tsaratanana Massif.

Food and Feeding. Fruits make up the bulk of the diet of the Black Lemur throughout the year, except perhaps for a month or so when young leaves, seed pods, flowers, and nectar take on greater importance. Diets are supplemented with fungi, mushrooms, bark, and invertebrates. Studies in the Lokobe Strict Nature Reserve on Nosy Be and forests of the Ambato Massif suggest that the Black Lemur is an important pollinator of the traveler’s palm ( Ravenala madagascariensis, Strelitziaceae ) and the legume Parkia madagascariensis ( Fabaceae ). At Lokobe, it also appears to be the sole seed-disperser for many tree species. At Ampasikely Forest on the Nosy Faly Peninsula, some introduced plant species seem to be preferred by Black Lemurs.

Breeding. Female Black Lemurs have a 33day reproductive cycle. Males are quite aggressive during the mating season, which takes place in late April and May. A single, thinly coated, grayish-black infant (rarely twins) is normally born between September and November, after gestation of 125-127 days. Mothers typically carry their offspring on their abdomen. All members of the group participate in raising young. Infanticide has been reported, but it is believed to be rare. Weaning occurs at 6-7 months, and sexual maturity at about two years of age. Female reproductive output is high. One individual reportedly lived for 31 years and three months in Shizuoka’s Nihondaira Zoo.

Activity patterns. The Black Lemur is cathemeral and arboreal. It exhibits significant activity both day and night throughout the year.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Group sizes are 2-15 individuals (median range of 7-10) and depend on the composition of the forest and probably food patches, as does home range size (average of 18 ha in the Ampasikely Forest). Black lemurs live in multimale—multifemale groups, with the core of the groups formed by adult females. Males and females disperse from their natal groups before they reach sexual maturity. Adult males move between groups, particularly during the mating season. In Ampasikely, groups of Black Lemurs split when they became larger than 16 individuals. Agonistic encounters between groups take place at home range boundaries, particularly in the mating and birth seasons. Larger groups tend to win these interactions. In the mating season, males compete for access to females. Females are dominant over males.

Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix I. Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List. The Black Lemur is threatened mainly by habitat loss due to slash-and-burn agriculture and hunting and trapping for food. Individuals are frequently shot as crop pests. Hunting with traps seemsto kill females preferentially, because they tend to lead group travel. There is a small but persistent pet trade. It is found in one national park (Sahamalaza-Iles Radama), two strict nature reserves (Lokobe and Tsaratanana), and Manongarivo Special Reserve. Black Lemurs are also present on Nosy Komba, where the local people consider them sacred and they serve as a major tourist attraction (as on nearby Nosy Tanikely). In Manongarivo, the Black Lemur is reported to be the most common lemur, diurnal or nocturnal.

Bibliography. Andrews (1990, 1998), Andrews & Birkinshaw (1998), Bayart & Simmen (2005), Birkinshaw (1999a, 1999b, 2001), Birkinshaw & Colquhoun (1998), Birkinshaw et al. (2000), Colquhoun (1993, 1995, 1998a, 1998b), Goodman & Schutz (2000), Groves & Eaglen (1988), Harrington (1978a), Koenders, Rumpler & Ropartz (1985), Meyers et al. (1989), Mittermeier, Langrand et al. (2010), Mittermeier, Tattersall et al. (1994), Napier & Napier (1967), Nicoll & Langrand (1989), Petter (1962, 1965). Petter et al. (1977), Rabarivola et al. (1991), Raxworthy & Rakotondraparany (1988), Schwitzer (2006), Schwitzer & Lork (2004), Simmen et al. (2007), Tattersall (1976b, 1982), Terranova & Coffman (1997).

Figures

8. Brown (Lemur Fulemurfulvus), 9. Rufous Brown Lemur (Eulemur rufus), 10. Red-fronted Brown Lemur (FEulemur rufifrons), 11. White-fronted Brown Lemur (Eulemur albifrons), 12. Sanford’s Brown Lemur (Fulemur sanfordi), 13. White-collared Brown Lemur (Eulemur cinereiceps), 14. Red-collared Brown Lemur (Eulemur collars), 15. Black Lemur (Eulemur macaco), 16. Blue-eyed Black (Lemur Eulemurflavifrons), 17. Crowned Lemur (Eulemur coronatus), 18. Red-bellied Lemur (Eulemur rubriventer), 19. Mongoose Lemur (Eulemur mongoz)

Distribution. NW Madagascar from the Mahavavy River S to the Andranomalaza River, the E limit is poorly defined, butlikely occurs at the Tsaratanana Massif, and there are additional populations in forests of the Ampasindava Peninsula, on the inshore islands of Nosy Be and Nosy Komba, and in the coastal forests NE of Ambanja (including the peninsula leading to Nosy Faly). Introduced into the small islet of Nosy Tanikely.