New Directions in Lemur Studies

by Berthe Rakotosamimanana, Hanta Rasamimanana, J. Ganzhorn, Steven M. Goodman

Overview

Over the course of the past decade, there has been an enormous augmentation in the amount of information available on the lemurs of Madagascar. These advances are closely coupled with an increase in the number of national and international researchers working on these animals. As a result, Madagascar has emerged as one of the principal sites of primatological studies in the world. Furthermore, the conservation community has a massive interest in the preservation of the natural habitats of the island, and lemurs serve as one of the symbols of this cause. Between 10 and 14 August 1998, the XVIIth International Primatology Society (IPS) Congress was held in Antananarivo, Madagascar. For a country that about a decade ago was largely closed to foreign visitors, this Congress constituted a massive event for the Malagasy scientific community and was assisted by about 550 primatolo­ gists from 35 different countries. Naturally, given the venue and context of the Con­ gress, many of the presentations dealt with lemurs and covered a very wide breadth of subjects.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780306461873
Publisher:	Springer US
Publication date:	09/30/1999
Edition description:	1999
Pages:	295
Product dimensions:	7.01(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.03(d)

Table of Contents

1. Ancient DNA in Subfossil Lemurs: Methodological Challenges and Their Solutions.- 2. Past and Present Distributions of Lemurs in Madagascar.- 3. Skeletal Morphology and the Phylogeny of the Lemuridae: A Cladistic Analysis.- 4. Support Utilization by Two Sympatric Lemur Species: Propithecus verreauxi verreauxi and Eulemur fulvus rufus.- 5. Field Metabolic Rate and the Cost of Ranging of the Red-tailed Sportive Lemur (Lepilemur ruficaudatus).- 6. Metabolic Strategy and Social Behavior in Lemuridae.- 7. Cathemeral Activity of Red-fronted Brown Lemurs (Eulemur fulvus rufus) in the Kirindy Forest/CFPF.- 8. Social Organization of the Fat-tailed Dwarf Lemur (Cheirogaleus medius) in Northwestern Madagascar.- 9. Demography and Floating Males in a Population of Cheirogaleus medius.- 10. Influence of Social Organization Patterns on Food Intake of Lemur catta in the Berenty Reserve.- 11. The Importance of the Black Lemur (Eulemur macaco) for Seed Dispersal in Lokobe Forest, Nosy Be.- 12. Taste Discrimination in Lemurs and Other Primates, and the Relationships to Distribution of Plant Allelochemicals in Different Habitats of Madagascar.- 13. Folivory in a Small-bodied Lemur: The Nutrition of the Alaotran Gentle Lemur (Hapalemur griseus alaotrensis).- 14. Conservation of the Alaotran Gentle Lemur: A Multidisciplinary Approach.- 15. Teaching Primatology at the Université de Mahajanga (NW Madagascar): Experiences, Results, and Evaluation of a Pilot Project.- 16. Lemurs as Flagships for Conservation in Madagascar.

Editorial Reviews

International specialists in lemur studies contribute their recent research examining topics including conservation, theoretical aspects of behavioral ecology, nutrition, and public education. Specific studies include discussions of ancient DNA in subfossil lemurs, metabolic strategy and social behavior, social organization of the fat-tailed dwarf lemur, the importance of the black lemur for seed dispersal, and a pilot project in teaching primatology at the Universit<'e> de Mahajanga. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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