Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur  (Microcebus berthae)

Description

Described as a new species in 2000, the tiny Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur is believed to be the world’s smallest living primate (1) (3). This species has extremely large, forward-facing eyes, which have a shiny layer behind the retina that reflects light back through the eye, dramatically improving night-vision (5). The fur is reddish-brown on the upperside with a darker stripe running down the midline of the back from the shoulders to the tail while, in contrast, the fur on the underparts is creamy or pale grey. The head of this species is distinctively marked with a dull white patch above the nose and cinnamon rings around the eyes (3). Like other mouse lemurs, Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur has a long tail, relatively large ears and bare digits (3) (5).

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