Of all the animals found in
Madagascar, lemurs are the most discernible. Until 25 years ago, there
were only two species of mouse lemurs known. These are a kind of lemurs
belonging to the genus Microcebus,
which translates to ‘small monkey’. The recent discovery of three new
species of mouse lemurs, described in a study published in the journal Molecular Ecology
on April 20, by a team of researchers from the German Primate Center
(GPC), University of Kentucky, the American Duke Lemur Center and the
University of Antananarivo, takes their total count to 24.
Each new species contributes another
piece to the puzzle in understanding how mouse lemurs evolved and spread
to different types of habitats on the island. Peter Kappeler, head of
the Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, GPC, and a member of the
team that has now described 21 other species of mouse lemurs, says “this
new information is an element towards understanding how biodiversity on
Madagascar arose”.
“By using new, objective methods to
access genetic differences between individuals, we are able to find
independent evidence that these mouse lemurs represent new species,”
adds Kappeler. This has been possible because of a combination of
advancements in genetic analysis along with frequent expeditions to
remote areas that were previously inaccessible. As the team sampled more
areas and generated genetic data from more individuals over the years,
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