Avahi cleeser, Thalmann & Geissmann, 2005

Russell A. Mittermeier, Anthony B. Rylands & Don E. Wilson, 2013, Indriidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 3 Primates, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 142-175 : 166-167

8.

Bemaraha Woolly Lemur

Avahi cleeser

French: Avahi de Cleese / German: Bemaraha-\ Wollmaki / Spanish: Lémur lanudo de Bemaraha

Other common names: Cleese’s Woolly Lemur

Taxonomy. Avahi cleeser Thalmann & Geissmann, 2005 ,

18° 59° S, 44° 45’ E, approximately 3 km east-north-east of the village of Ambalarano, western Madagascar.

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. CW Madagascar, described from the forests of Ankindrodro, Ankinajao, and Ambalarano, it is known only from the Tsingy de Bemaraha region, N of the Manambolo River; the N limit ofits distribution is unclear, and there is no evidence of its occurrence between the Sambao and Mahavavy rivers or between the Mahavavy and Betsiboka rivers.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 23-31 cm, tail 32-36 cm; weight 830-980 g. The fur of the upper body and head of the Bemaraha Woolly Lemur is predominantly brown-gray and woolly, with the ventral surface light gray and thin. The tail varies from brown-gray to beige, and it is slightly reddish on the dorsal surface nearits base. Characteristic white patches are found on the dorsal surface of hindlimbs. The snout is black and hairless, although fur at the corners of the mouth is whitish. The face itself is slightly paler than the blackish forehead and crown, and the triangular upward extension ofthe facial area onto the crown contrasts with the triangular downward extension of the crown into the facial area that is seen in the Western Woolly Lemur (A. occidentalis ) and the Sambirano Woolly Lemur (A. unicolor ). The fur of the forehead immediately above the face is blackish, forming a dark chevron pattern. Eyes are maroon and have black hairless eyelids.

Habitat. Subhumid, dry deciduous forest characterized by a high proportion of evergreen trees, located close to the western Isingy precipices, in the larger Tsingy crevasses or gorges, and along small seasonal rivulets and seasonal swamps near the Bemaraha Massif. Ironically, local densities of the Bemaraha Woolly Lemur appear to correlate positively with levels of habitat disturbance, meaning that higher densities seem to be found in disturbed habitats.

Food and Feeding. Diets of the Bemaraha Woolly Lemur are presumably similar to the Western Woolly Lemur. In a ten-day study using telemetry, a group of Bemaraha Woolly Lemurs fed on buds, sprouting buds, and young leaves.

Breeding. There is no information available for this species.

Activity patterns. The Bemaraha Woolly Lemuris nocturnal and arboreal. It exhibits three distinct activity peaks at 18:00-20:00 h, 22:00-24:00 h (but variable), and 03:00-05:00 h.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. There is no specific information available for this species, but home range size is c.2 ha.

Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix I. Classified as Endangered on The IUCN Red List. The Bemaraha Woolly Lemur is reported to be generally rare. It evidently has a very restricted distribution and is threatened by continued habitat loss. Subhumid forests at the base of the escarpment ofthe Tsingy de Bemaraha in particular are under continuous pressure from annual bush fires, which reduce the forests in size in many places—some to only a few meters in width. Such forests are the only habitat where Bemaraha Woolly Lemurs have been found so far. It occurs in the contiguous Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park and Strict Nature Reserve.

Bibliography. Andriantompohavana et al. (2007), Lei et al. (2008), Mittermeier et al. (2010), Thalmann & Geissmann (2000, 2005, 2006), Thalmann & Rakotoarison (1994), Thalmann et al. (1999), Zaramody et al. (2006).

Figures

On following pages: 12. Crowned Sifaka (Propithecus coronatus); 13. Coquerel’s Sifaka (Propithecus coquerell); 14. Tattersall’s Sifaka (Propithecus tattersall); 15. Diademed Sifaka (Propithecus diadema); 16. Milne-Edwards's Sifaka (Propithecus edwardsi); 17. Silky Sifaka (Propithecus candidus); 18. Perrier’s Sifaka (Propithecus perrieri).

Distribution. CW Madagascar, described from the forests of Ankindrodro, Ankinajao, and Ambalarano, it is known only from the Tsingy de Bemaraha region, N of the Manambolo River; the N limit ofits distribution is unclear, and there is no evidence of its occurrence between the Sambao and Mahavavy rivers or between the Mahavavy and Betsiboka rivers.