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Cheirogaleus crossleyi A. Grandidier, 1870

Scientific name: 
Scientist name: 
A. Grandidier, 1870
Malagasy: 
Matavirambo, Tsitsihy (northeast)
English: 
Crossley’s Dwarf Lemur
German: 
Crossley’s Fettschwanzmaki
Other english: 
Furry-eared Dwarf Lemur
French: 
Cheirogale de Crossley

Species

Identification

Cheirogaleus crossleyi is one of several dwarf lemur species that re-emerged from the former Cheirogaleus major as a result of the taxonomic revision by Groves (2000). Its head-body length is 22–26 cm, its tail length 21–27 cm, and its average total length is 50 cm. The dorsal coat is reddish-brown, and the ventral coat is gray, turning creamy toward the midline. The mid-facial zone is yellowish, this coloring extending above the eyes, which are surrounded by blackish rings. The ears are heavily pigmented, and covered with black fur both inside and out, and help to distinguish this species from C. major, along with its reddish color and blacker, more pronounced eye rings. As indicated above in the generic description for Cheirogaleus, Groeneveld et al. (2009) found five terminal clades within C. crossleyi, which may well turn out to be distinct species. This species can easily be confused with C. major in areas where the two are sympatric.