A Natural History of the Brown Mouse Lemur

by Atsalis; Sylvia

• ISBN13: 9780132432719
• ISBN10: 0132432714
• eBook ISBN(s): 9781317346128
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2007-10-09
• Publisher: ROUTLEDGE
• More Book Details

Summary

Pa> ANatural History of the Brown Mouse Lemurprovides the most complete look at the behavior and ecology of mouse lemurs. There are very few books that address the biology of nocturnal primates. There are even fewer that delve with any detail regarding the behavior of specific species. These animals are difficult to follow. Their diminutive size, the thickness of the vegetation, and their nocturnal habits, make the study of their habits a demanding task.Through a trial of patience, Sylvia Atsalis has undertaken this task. Here she provides an in depth view at the life and behavioral patterns of these tiny primates.

Table of Contents

List of Figures	p. xi
List of Tables	p. xv
Preface	p. xvii
Mouse Lemurs: The World's Smallest Primates	p. 1
The Cheirogaleidae	p. 3
Researching the Brown Mouse Lemur	p. 7
Mouse Lemur Species	p. 10
Mouse Lemur Distribution	p. 12
Distinctive Features of the Cheirogaleidae	p. 16
Researching the Brown Mouse Lemur	p. 21
Description of the Study Site	p. 21
Rainfall and Temperature Patterns	p. 23
Phenological Monitoring	p. 24
Flowering and Fruiting Patterns	p. 25
Insect Availability	p. 30
Live-Trapping Mouse Lemurs	p. 35
Observing Mouse Lemurs	p. 38
Diet and Feeding Ecology	p. 41
The Diet of Mouse Lemurs	p. 41
Investigating Diet in the Brown Mouse Lemur	p. 44
Use of Plants and Prey	p. 47
Frugivory	p. 47
Bakerella, the Fruit of Preference	p. 51
Beetles, the Prey of Preference	p. 55
Other Organic Matter Found in Fecal Samples	p. 56
Fruit: Availability and Consumption	p. 56
Phytochemical Analysis of Fruits Eaten	p. 60
Animal Prey: Availability and Consumption	p. 60
Observations of Mouse Lemurs Feeding	p. 63
Mouse Lemurs and Mistletoes	p. 65
Mouse Lemurs and Beetles	p. 72
Comparing the Diets of Mouse Lemur Species	p. 73
What Can Mouse Lemurs Tell Us about Primate Origins	p. 75
Fecal Sampling as a Way to Study Diet	p. 77
Suggested Directions for Future Studies	p. 78
Summary	p. 79
Seasonal Changes in Body Mass and Activity Levels	p. 81
How Small Mammals Respond to Climatic and Resource Fluctuations	p. 81
Seasonal Fluctuations in the Cheirogaleidae	p. 83
Investigating Seasonal Fluctuations in the Brown Mouse Lemur	p. 87
Fattening and Hilbernation	p. 91
Population Fluctuations in Body Mass, Tail Circumference, and Activity Levels	p. 96
Differences in Seasonal Response at RNP	p. 100
Comparing Seasonal Responses of Mouse Lemur Species	p. 107
Emerging from Hibernation	p. 108
Sleeping Nests	p. 110
The Effects of Trapping	p. 112
Suggested Directions for Future Studies	p. 112
Summary	p. 113
The Social Life of the Brown Mouse Lemur	p. 115
Sociality in Nocturnal Strepsirrhines	p. 115
Investigating Social Organization in the Brown Mouse Lemur	p. 121
Social Interactions of the Brown Mouse Lemur	p. 124
The Solitary Mouse Lemur	p. 126
Understanding Spatial Distribution Through Trap Data	p. 129
Changes in Population Composition	p. 131
Seasonal Fluctuations in Trap Sex Ratio	p. 135
Migration Patterns and Population Continuity	p. 138
Population Residents	p. 142
Scramble and Contest Competition	p. 143
Suggested Directions for Future Studies	p. 145
Summary	p. 147
Reproduction in the Brown Mouse Lemurs	p. 149
Reproductive Patterns of Mouse Lemurs	p. 149
Assessing Reproductive Condition in the Brown Mouse Lemur	p. 154
Testicular Enlargement, Estrous Cycles, Gestation, and Births	p. 156
Reproductive Seasonality	p. 161
The Advantages of Estrous Synchrony	p. 163
Postpartum Estrus	p. 165
Atypical Estrus	p. 166
Male Reproductive Patterns	p. 167
Young Mouse Lemurs	p. 169
Female Reproductive Potential	p. 171
Summary	p. 173
The Annual Cycle of the Brown Mouse Lemur: An Overview	p. 175
A Year in the Life of the Brown Mouse Lemur	p. 175
Local Ecologies	p. 181
Mouse Lemurs as Small Mammals	p. 183
The Future	p. 185
References	p. 187
Index	p. 223
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