17.

Simmons’s Mouse Lemur

Microcebus simmonsi

French: Microcébe de Simmons / German: Simmons-Mausmaki / Spanish: Lémur ratén de Simmons

Taxonomy. Microcebus simmons: Louis et al., 2006,

Madagascar, province of Tamatave, Betampona Special Reserve (c.17° 56'S, 49° 12' E).

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. NE Madagascar, known only from the regions of Betampona, Zahamena, and Tampolo.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 9-2 cm, tail 14-2 cm; weight 42-64-8 g. Simmons’s Mouse Lemur is a large robust species. The dorsal coat, head, and forelimbs are dark reddish-brown to orange-brown, sometimes with a mid-dorsal stripe. The ventral coat is grayish-white to white. There 1s a distinctive white patch on the rostrum, and hairs on the middle of the crown have black tips.

Habitat. Lowland rainforest.

Food and Feeding. There is no specific information available for this species, but undoubtedly fruits and insects are eaten, and possibly other items identified in the diets of other members of the genus.

Breeding. There is no information available for this species.

Activity patterns. Simmons’s Mouse Lemur is nocturnal and arboreal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. There is no information available for this species.

Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix I. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. However, at the[IUCN/SSC Lemur Red-Listing Workshop held in July 2012, Simmons’s Mouse Lemur was assessed as endangered due to its small extent of occurrence and ongoing decline. Simmons’s Mouse Lemur is known to occur in Zahamena National Park,strict nature reserves of Betampona and Zahamena, and Tampolo Classified Forest.

Bibliography. Louis, Coles et al. (2006), Louis, Engberg et al. (2008), Mittermeier et al. (2010).