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November 2018: Ring-Tailed Lemur
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Scientific Name | Lemur catta |
| Alternate Name | Katta, Kattlemur, Maki, Ring-Tail, Ring-Tail Lemur, Ringsvanslemur | |
| Collective Name | Troop |
| Kingdom | Phylum | Class | Order | Family | Genus |
| Animalia | Chordata | Mammalia | Primates | Lemuridae | Lemur |
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Africa |  |
 |
Forest, Shrubland |
 |
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 |
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2.2-2.21 kg. | 4.85-4.89 lb. | ||
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39-46 cm. | 15-18 in. |  |
16-33 yr. | 12 yr. (Generation) |
 |
 |
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Endangered |  |
Social |  |
Diurnal | ||
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Decreasing |  |
Polygynandrous |  |
Omnivore | ||
| Fore | Hind | ||||||
The ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta) is a small, achromatic primate endemic to the island of Madagascar of the continent of Africa. Named for its long, thick tail with several distinctive black and white rings running along it from base to tip, this lemur is the only species of lemur that possess such a striped tail. These recognizable tails are used in communication, as well as other vocal and olfactory communications. The ring-tailed lemur is a highly social species and gathers in groups, called troops, that include 15-30 individuals. Within each troop rules a complex social hierarchy in which all female lemurs rank higher than their male counterparts. The ring-tailed lemur is listed as “Endangered” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.
MEDIA
REFERENCES
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