Goodman’s mouse lemur  (Microcebus lehilahytsara)

Description

This tiny primate was only discovered in 2005. Goodman’s mouse lemur has short, dense, bright maroon fur, tinged with orange on the back, head and tail, and blending to creamy-white on the underparts. A distinct white stripe extends along the bridge of its nose. The ears are small and round and the long, uniformly coloured tail can be used for storing fat reserves (2). The eyes of mouse lemurs contain a tapetum lucidum, a light reflecting layer behind the retina, which enhances their ability to see in the dark (3). The testes of the Goodman’s mouse lemur are noticeable large (2), which hints at their promiscuous behaviour. The species name lehilahytsara is a combination of the Malagasy words ‘lehilahy’ and ‘tsara’ which mean ‘man’ and ‘good’, respectively. This name was given in honor of a scientist who conducted much research in Madagascar (2).

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