The diet of L. mustelinus is primarily leaves. However, these animals also eat fruit, flowers, and bark. Sportive lemurs may not be capable of completely digesting this folivorous diet and they have been known to eat their own feces, perhaps in order to extract more nutrients from the food on its second journey through their digestive tract. Sportive lemurs do not pick leaves or fruit from branches when feeding, but instead they bring branches to their mouths and feed directly from them (Grzimek, 1990; Richard, 1987).
Plant Foods: leaves; wood, bark, or stems; fruit; flowers
Other Foods: dung
Primary Diet: herbivore (Folivore )
These small nocturnal primates probably fall prey to raptors, snakes, fossas, and any other carnivorous animal large enough to subdue them. Humans are reported to hunt members of this genus for meat.
Known Predators:
Sportive lemurs measure about 24 to 30 cm for head and body length, with a tail of about 22 to 29 cm. Typically, members of the genus weigh between 500 and 900 g. The tail is always shorter than the body, and the legs are always much longer than the arms. There are six recognized subspecies and fur coloration differs between populations. However, in general sportive lemurs are brown to grey on their backs and tails with a light to white underbelly. They have dense, woolly fur, and prominent ears. Their dental formula is 0/2, 1/1, 3/3, 3/3 = 32 (Macdonald, 1984).
Range mass: 500 to 900 g.
Range length: 24 to 30 cm.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; bilateral symmetry
Members of the genus Lepilemur are reported to have lived as long as 12 years in captivity. Lepilemur mustelinus is probably similar.
Average lifespan
Status: captivity: 12 years.
Sportive lemurs live in the deciduous, humid, and gallery forests of Madagascar. They sleep during the day in tree hollows or occasionally in nests in the open when there is little threat from predators (Macdonald, 1984; Richard, 1987).
Habitat Regions: tropical ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: forest
Sportive lemurs, Lepilemur mustelinus, live in the deciduous forests of the East and West coasts of Madagascar (Macdonald, 1984; Grzimek, 1990).
Biogeographic Regions: ethiopian (Native )
Other Geographic Terms: island endemic
As frugivores, these primates probably help to disperse seeds. To the extent that they serve as prey for other animals, they may impact local food webs.
Ecosystem Impact: disperses seeds
Sportive lemurs are sometimes hunted for their meat (Grzimek, 1990).
Positive Impacts: food
There are no known negative effects of sportive lemurs on humans.
Lepilemur mustelinus is considered threatened due to habitat destruction and the breakdown of anti-hunting rules (Richard, 1987).
US Federal List: endangered
CITES: appendix i
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: data deficient
Visual displays, vocalizations, chases, and severe fighting have all been reported for this genus. Although not reported for these animals, prosimians usually scent mark their territories, and it is reasonable to suppose that L. mustelinus engages in some scent marking and chemical communication.
Communication Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical
Other Communication Modes: scent marks
Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical
Due to human introduction of farming and domesticated animals on Madagascar, many species of lemurs have become extinct. Therefore, it is important to remember that no animals of Madagascar, including sportive lemurs, are members of intact ecological communities (Richard, 1987).
Males occupy territories by themselves which tend to overlap with the territories of two to three females with which they will mate (Macdonald, 1984; Richard, 1987).
Mating System: polygynous
Sportive lemurs reach sexual maturity at about 18 months of age. Sexual receptivity in females, estrous, is marked by a distinct swelling of the genitalia. Mating occurs from May through August. Females give birth to single young between September and November with a gestation period of about 135 days. The young are weaned around 4 months of age, but are not independent until they are about one year old. (Nowak, 1999; Macdonald, 1984; Richard, 1987).
Breeding interval: Breeding occurs annually.
Breeding season: Mating occurs from May through August.
Average number of offspring: 1.
Average gestation period: 135 days.
Average weaning age: 4 months.
Average time to independence: 1 years.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 18 months.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 18 months.
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; fertilization ; viviparous
Average birth mass: 27 g.
Average gestation period: 135 days.
Average number of offspring: 1.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male)
Sex: male: 546 days.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female)
Sex: female: 592 days.
Not much is known about the parental behavior of these animals. Females sometimes carry their young, and sometimes "park" them on a branch while they forage. The young are weaned at about 4 months of age. Young follow their mother until they are around one year of age. The role of males in parental care has not been described.
Parental Investment: altricial ; pre-fertilization (Provisioning, Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-independence (Protecting: Female); extended period of juvenile learning
The weasel sportive lemur (Lepilemur mustelinus), also known as the greater sportive lemur, weasel lemur, or greater weasel lemur, is a species of lemur native to northeastern Madagascar. Its habitat includes rainforests and tropical rainforests. Its dorsal side is a reddish-brown colour, and greyish brown ventrally. Its colour darkens towards the tip of its tail. Individuals weigh from 0.8 to 1.2 kg (1.8 to 2.6 lb) It has long, soft fur. Its body length is approximately 22–30 cm (8.7–11.8 in) and a tail length of 23–27 cm (9.1–10.6 in).[4]
The weasel sportive lemur is predominantly a leaf-eater, although it supplements its diet with fruits and flowers. It is an arboreal species, and travels through the trees by leaping. As with other leaping primates, it has stereoscopic vision that enables it to determine distances precisely. Groups consist solely of a mother and its offspring; the males are solitary, and are very territorial. Each weasel sportive lemur occupies a territory of 1⁄2 to 1‑1⁄4 acres (1500–5000 m2). Like some other lemurs, they are nocturnal.[5]
The weasel sportive lemur (Lepilemur mustelinus), also known as the greater sportive lemur, weasel lemur, or greater weasel lemur, is a species of lemur native to northeastern Madagascar. Its habitat includes rainforests and tropical rainforests. Its dorsal side is a reddish-brown colour, and greyish brown ventrally. Its colour darkens towards the tip of its tail. Individuals weigh from 0.8 to 1.2 kg (1.8 to 2.6 lb) It has long, soft fur. Its body length is approximately 22–30 cm (8.7–11.8 in) and a tail length of 23–27 cm (9.1–10.6 in).
The weasel sportive lemur is predominantly a leaf-eater, although it supplements its diet with fruits and flowers. It is an arboreal species, and travels through the trees by leaping. As with other leaping primates, it has stereoscopic vision that enables it to determine distances precisely. Groups consist solely of a mother and its offspring; the males are solitary, and are very territorial. Each weasel sportive lemur occupies a territory of 1⁄2 to 1‑1⁄4 acres (1500–5000 m2). Like some other lemurs, they are nocturnal.