Eulemur rufifrons (Bennett, 1833)

Scientific name:

Eulemur rufifrons

Scientist name:

(Bennett, 1833)

Malagasy:

Gidro, Halo, Varikamavo (east)

English:

Red-fronted Brown Lemur

German:

Südlicher Rotstirnmaki

Other english:

Southern Red-fronted Brown Lemur

French:

Lémur à front roux méridional

Family:

LEMURIDAE Gray, 1821

Taxa:

Eulemur

Species

Identification

Eulemur rufifrons is a relatively large brown lemur with a head-body length of 40–48 cm, a tail length of 45–55 cm, an overall length of 85–103 cm, and a mean body weight of 2.2–2.3 kg (Glander et al., 1992). This species is sexually dichromatic. In males the coloration is iron-gray above with a grayish-fawn underside; the crown is dark red and the tail black along part of its length. The digits are red. In females, the coloration is brownish olive-gray above with a whitish-red underside, a reddish head, and an orange-tipped tail. There is little gray above the eyes (Groves, 2001, 2006). All young are born with adult male coloration, the female infants undergoing a change into adult female coloration at 7–17 weeks (Barthold et al., 2009). This species may be confused with Eulemur rubriventer where the two are sympatric in the eastern rain forest. However, E. rubriventer can usually be distinguished by its redder coloration, the lack of white eyebrow patches, and by the prominent white tear-drop patches seen in males. A large hybridization zone with E. cinereiceps appears to be centered on the Iantara River (the headwaters of the Manampatra), near Andringitra National Park (Wyner et al., 2002; Sterling and Ramarason, 1996; Delmore et. al., 2009), and there is also an introduced population of this species (hybridized with E. collaris) inhabiting the Berenty Private Reserve in southern Madagascar. Finally, it can easily be confused with captive E. rufus, a species with which it was considered conspecific until quite recently.

Natural history

This species has been studied in western Madagascar in the deciduous forests of Antserananomby and Tongobato (Sussman, 1974, 1975, 1977), in the Kirindy Forest (Donati et al., 1999; Ostner and Kappeler, 1999), and in eastern Madagascar in Ranomafana National Park (Meyers, 1988; Overdorff, 1991; Johnson and Overdorff, 1999). These publications pre-date the recent recognition of E. rufifrons and E. rufus as separate species, and therefore refer to this species as E. fulvus rufus. The results of these and other studies demonstrate a very adaptable behavioral ecology. In the west, population density is reported to be very high and home ranges small, while in the east, population densities tend to be lower and home ranges as large as 100 ha. Group size is more consistent geographically, varying from 4–17 (with an average of nine) in the west and from 6–18 (with an average of eight) in the east. Dominance hierarchies are unknown in any populations, and rates of aggression appear very low. The diet of some western populations is less diverse and much more folivorous than that of eastern populations, and includes a high proportion of leaves, pods, stems, flowers, bark, and sap of the kily tree (Tamarindus indica). At Kirindy, E. rufifrons includes substantial amounts of fruit in its diet, and is the sole seed disperser for a large number of tree species with large seeds (Ganzhorn et al., 1999). The diet of eastern populations is dominated by fruit (Overdorff, 1993, 1996a, 1996b). Along with E. rubriventer, E. rufifrons feeds on flowers and nectar more often during in the warmer, wetter months of the year (Overdorff, 1992). Although largely diurnal, western populations of this lemur increase their nocturnal activity during the dry season (Donati et al., 1999; Rasmussen, 1999; Kappeler and Erkert, 2003). Eastern populations are entirely cathemeral and active across a 24-hour period throughout the year (Overdorff and Rasmussen, 1995). Reproduction is seasonal. In western populations, one male typically monopolizes the females of the group, while in the east several males may participate in reproductive pairings (Overdorff, 1998; Ostner and Kappeler, 1999). In the west, mating takes place in June, births occur in September and October, and the young are weaned by January (Sussman, 1977).

Geographic range

The red-fronted brown lemur is found on both sides of Madagascar, in the southeast and the southwest. It inhabits both tropical dry lowland forests (in the west) and tropical moist lowland to montane forests (in the east), up to elevations of 1,700 m (Petter et al., 1977; Tattersall, 1982). In the southwest, it occurs patchily from the Tsiribihina River south to the region of the Onilahy River and the Andringitra Massif. In the east, it ranges from the Mangoro River and the Onive River in the north, with the southern limit probably being the Manampatrana River (which, for the most part, separates it from E. cinereiceps). Reports of its occurrence in the Kalambatritra Special Reserve are incorrect, since the species there is evidently E. collaris (Irwin et al., 2001).

Conservation status

Eulemur rufifrons was classified as Near Threatened (NT) in the 2008 IUCN Red List assessment. The principal threat to its survival is habitat loss due to slash-and-burn agriculture, burning for pasture, fuelwood gathering, and illegal logging. Hunting and trapping are also threats throughout its range—it is one of the most commonly hunted lemurs in all of Madagascar (E. E. Louis Jr., pers. obs.). It is found in four national parks (Andringitra, Isalo, Ranomafana, and Zombitse-Vohibasia), two special reserves (Andranomena, Pic d’Ivohibe), and in the Kirindy Forest (part of the Menabe-Antimena Protected Area) (Nicoll and Langrand, 1989; Sterling and Ramoroson, 1996; Hawkins et al., 1998; Hawkins, 1999; Thalmann et al., 1999; Goodman and Raselimanana, 2003; Sussman et al., 2003). The status of this species in captivity is difficult to determine at this time, owing to taxonomic confusion with E. rufus. However, both E. rufus and E. rufifrons are found in a number of collections worldwide.

Where to see it

An excellent place to see the red-fronted brown lemur in eastern Madagascar is Ranomafana National Park. April and May appear to be particularly good months for viewing, as Chinese guava (Psidium spp.) is in fruit and lemur groups tend to gather near the Belle Vue site (Garbutt, 2007), but the animal can be seen throughout the park. In the west, the Kirindy Forest north of Morondava offers the best opportunities for viewing this species. In addition, an introduced group that has hybridized with Eulemur collaris is easily seen in the Berenty Private Reserve in the far south. About eight captive animals, orphans from hunting in the Analabe Reserve in the Menabe forest, north of Morondava, escaped into Berenty during a hurricane in January 1975. The red-collared brown lemurs with which they hybridized were subsequently introduced gradually (a similar number of orphans obtained from the Forte-Dauphin market) up to 1985 (Jolly, 2004; p.30; pers. comm.).

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