The genomic diversity of the Eliurus genus in northern Madagascar with a putative new species.

Madagascar exhibits extraordinarily high level of species richness and endemism, while being severely threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation (HL&F). In front of these threats to biodiversity, conservation effort can be directed, for instance, in the documentation of species that are still unknown to science, or in investigating how species respond to HL&F. The tufted-tail rats genus (Eliurus spp.) is the most speciose genus of endemic rodents in Madagascar, with 13 described species, which occupy two major habitat types: dry or humid forests. The large species diversity and association to specific habitat types make the Eliurus genus a suitable model for investigating species adaptation to new environments, as well as response to HL&F (dry vs humid). In the present study, we investigated Eliurus spp. genomic diversity across northern Madagascar, a region covered by both dry and humid fragmented forests. From the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and nuclear genomic (RAD-seq) data of 124 Eliurus individuals sampled in poorly studied forests of northern Madagascar, we identified an undescribed Eliurus taxon (Eliurus sp. nova). We tested the hypothesis of a new Eliurus species using several approaches: i) DNA barcoding; ii) phylogenetic inferences; iii) species delimitation tests based on the Multi-Species Coalescent (MSC) model, iv) genealogical divergence index (gdi); v) an ad-hoc test of isolation-by-distance within versus between sister-taxa, vi) comparisons of %GC content patterns and vii) morphological analyses. All analyses support the recognition of the undescribed lineage as a putative distinct species. In addition, we show that Eliurus myoxinus, a species known from the dry forests of western Madagascar, is, surprisingly, found mostly in humid forests in northern Madagascar. In conclusion, we discuss the implications of such findings in the context of Eliurus species evolution and diversification, and use the distribution of northern Eliurus species as a proxy for reconstructing past changes in forest cover and vegetation type in northern Madagascar.

Evidence for female dominance in the Milne-Edwards' sportive lemur (Lepilemur edwardsi).

Female dominance over males is more frequent in Malagasy lemurs than in other primate clades, but patterns of female-male dominance vary among species, and few data are available for one particularly species-rich genus, Lepilemur. We investigated the types, temporal distribution, and outcome of female-male agonistic conflicts in the Milne-Edwards' sportive lemur (Lepilemur edwardsi). Ten L. edwardsi belonging to five social units were equipped with radio collars and observed during 79 focal follows between May and November 1998. We quantified agonistic conflicts, monthly conflict rates, and documented the winner and context for all conflicts. Female-male agonistic conflicts (N = 162) occurred at a mean rate of 0.21 conflicts/hour within groups. Agonistic conflicts peaked during the birth season and occurred mostly in unknown or infant proximity contexts. Females won 96% of all decided agonistic conflicts (N = 154). Other outcomes occurred only when females were with infants during the birth season. In that context, one female sometimes withdrew from her pair partner, and another female withdrew or fled from an extra-group male whose attacks eventually led to infanticide. Our results suggest female dominance in pair-living L. edwardsi. We hypothesize that elevated female aggression may convey fitness benefits to female Lepilemur because it generally allows females to intervene quickly and efficiently on behalf of their infants against nonfather males who may approach the newborn infants when they are parked in vegetation.

How ancient forest fragmentation and riparian connectivity generate high levels of genetic diversity in a microendemic Malagasy tree.

Understanding landscape changes is central to predicting evolutionary trajectories and defining conservation practices. While human-driven deforestation is intense throughout Madagascar, exceptions in areas such as the Loky-Manambato region (north) raise questions regarding the causes and age of forest fragmentation. The Loky-Manambato region also harbours a rich and endemic flora, whose evolutionary origin remains poorly understood. We assessed the genetic diversity of an endangered microendemic Malagasy olive species (Noronhia spinifolia Hong-Wa) to better understand the vegetation dynamics in the Loky-Manambato region and its influence on past evolutionary processes. We characterized 72 individuals sampled across eight forests through nuclear and mitochondrial restriction-associated DNA sequencing data and chloroplast microsatellites. Combined population and landscape genetics analyses indicate that N. spinifolia diversity is largely explained by the current forest cover, highlighting a long-standing habitat mosaic in the region. This sustains a major and long-term role of riparian corridors in maintaining connectivity across these antique mosaic habitats, calling for the study of organismal interactions that promote gene flow.

Lemur paparazzi: Arboreal camera trapping and occupancy modeling as conservation tools for monitoring threatened lemur species.

Primate species face growing risks of extinction throughout the world. To better protect their populations, effective monitoring techniques are needed. The goal of this study was to evaluate the use of arboreal camera traps and occupancy modeling as conservation tools for threatened lemur species. This project aimed to (1) estimate the occupancy and detection probabilities of lemur species, (2) investigate factors potentially affecting lemur habitat use, and (3) determine whether ground or arboreal cameras are better for surveying lemur assemblages. We conducted camera trapping research in five forest fragments (total trap nights = 1770; 900 arboreal trap nights (134 photo events); 870 ground trap nights (2 photo events)) and reforestation areas (total trap nights = 608; 1 photo event) in Kianjavato, Madagascar from May to September 2019. We used arboreal trap data from fragments to estimate occupancy for five species: the red-fronted brown lemur (Eulemur rufifrons; ψ = 0.54 ± SD 0.03), Jolly's mouse lemur (Microcebus jollyae; ψ = 0.14 ± 0.17), the greater dwarf lemur (Cheirogaleus major; ψ = 0.42 ± 0.30), the red-bellied lemur (Eulemur rubriventer; ψ = 0.24 ± 0.03), and the black-and-white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata; ψ = 0.24 ± 0.08). Tree diameter, elevation, distance to village, and canopy connectivity were important predictors of occupancy, while camera height, canopy connectivity, fragment ID, and fragment size predicted detection. Arboreal cameras recorded significantly higher species richness compared with ground cameras. We suggest expanded application of arboreal camera traps in future research, but we recommend longer trapping periods to better sample rarer species. Overall, arboreal camera trapping combined with occupancy modeling can be a highly efficient and useful approach for monitoring and predicting the occurrence of elusive lemur species and has the potential to be effective for other arboreal primates and canopy taxa across the globe.

Possible Infanticidal Event of an Aye-Aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) in Torotorofotsy, Madagascar.

Infanticide occurs in an array of mammalian species, especially primates. Most infanticidal events occur in polygynous societies, though they sometimes happen in nongregarious populations. We witnessed a possible infanticidal event of a 3-month-old male aye-aye, a species that exhibits a dispersed multimale social system, in Torotorofotsy, Madagascar. Though firsthand killing of the infant was not observed, physical injuries to the infant, vocalizations of the adult female, and her subsequent chase of the adult male aye-aye strongly indicates infanticide. If true, this would be the first recorded incident of an infanticidal event in a noyau primate. The evidence for three different explanations of infanticide is evaluated.

Effects of habitat edges on vegetation structure and the vulnerable golden-brown mouse lemur (Microcebus ravelobensis) in northwestern Madagascar.

BACKGROUND: Edge effects can influence species composition and community structure as a result of changes in microenvironment and edaphic variables. We investigated effects of habitat edges on vegetation structure, abundance and body mass of one vulnerable Microcebus species in northwestern Madagascar. We trapped mouse lemurs along four 1000-m transects (total of 2424 trap nights) that ran perpendicular to the forest edge. We installed 16 pairs of 20 m2 vegetation plots along each transect and measured nine vegetation parameters. To determine the responses of the vegetation and animals to an increasing distance to the edge, we tested the fit of four alternative mathematical functions (linear, power, logistic and unimodal) to the data and derived the depth of edge influence (DEI) for all parameters. RESULTS: Logistic and unimodal functions best explained edge responses of vegetation parameters, and the logistic function performed best for abundance and body mass of M. ravelobensis. The DEI varied between 50 m (no. of seedlings, no. of liana, dbh of large trees [dbh ≥ 10 cm]) and 460 m (tree height of large trees) for the vegetation parameters, whereas it was 340 m for M. ravelobensis abundance and 390 m for body mass, corresponding best to the DEI of small tree [dbh < 10 cm] density (360 m). Small trees were significantly taller and the density of seedlings was higher in the interior than in the edge habitat. However, there was no significant difference in M. ravelobensis abundance and body mass between interior and edge habitats, suggesting that M. ravelobensis did not show a strong edge response in the study region. Finally, regression analyses revealed three negative (species abundance and three vegetation parameters) and two positive relationships (body mass and two vegetation parameters), suggesting an impact of vegetation structure on M. ravelobensis which may be partly independent of edge effects. CONCLUSIONS: A comparison of our results with previous findings reveals that edge effects are variable in space in a small nocturnal primate from Madagascar. Such an ecological plasticity could be extremely relevant for mitigating species responses to habitat loss and anthropogenic disturbances.

Ecological fragmentation effects in mouse lemurs and small mammals in northwestern Madagascar.

Habitat loss and fragmentation are major ecological forces threatening animal communities across the globe. These issues are especially true in Madagascar, where forest loss is ongoing. We examined the effects of forest fragmentation on the distribution and abundance of sympatric, endemic gray, and golden-brown mouse lemurs (Microcebus murinus and Microcebus ravelobensis), the endemic western tuft-tailed rat (Eliurus myoxinus), and the invasive black rat (Rattus rattus) in two regions in northwestern Madagascar. We used systematic capture procedures in 40 forest fragments and four continuous forest sites which differed in size, shape, and degree of isolation. With a trapping effort of 11,567 trap nights during two dry seasons (2017-2018), we captured 929 individuals (432 M. ravelobensis, 196 M. murinus, 116 E. myoxinus, and 185 R. rattus). We examined the influence of study region, forest type (fragment vs. continuous), forest size, forest shape, the proportion of 50-m forest edge and distance to continuous forest on the abundance and interaction of the four species. Responses to fragmentation differed strongly between species, but no interaction could be detected between the abundance of the different species. Thus competition within and between native and invasive species may not be regulating abundances in these regions. On the contrary, the abundance of M. ravelobensis and E. myoxinus differed significantly between study regions and was negatively affected by fragmentation. In contrast, there was no evidence of an impact of fragmentation on the abundance of M. murinus. Finally, the invasive R. rattus responded positively to the increasing distance to the continuous forest. In conclusion, the response of small Malagasy mammals to forest fragmentation varies largely between species, and fragmentation effects need to be examined at a species-specific level to fully understand their ecological dynamics and complexity.

Sources of variation in social tolerance in mouse lemurs (Microcebus spp.).

BACKGROUND: Social tolerance strongly influences the patterns of affiliation and aggression in animal societies. However, not much is known about the variation of social tolerance in species living in dispersed social systems that combine solitary foraging activities with the need of coordinating social interactions with conspecifics on a regular basis. This study aims to investigate the sources of variation in social tolerance within a Malagasy primate radiation with dispersed social systems, the mouse lemurs (Microcebus spp.). Six mouse lemur species were selected as model species that belong to three different taxonomic clades, live in two types of forest environments (dry and humid), and differed in this study with respect to their reproductive activity. Six male-female and six male-male dyads of each species were tested temporarily in a standardized social encounter paradigm in Madagascar to collect data on joint use of space, non-agonistic body contacts, aggression rates, the number of conflicts and the establishment of intra- and intersexual dominance. RESULTS: Male-female dyads of the six species differed significantly in the frequency of affiliative and agonistic behaviors. In contrast, the variations between male-male dyads could not be explained by one parameter only, but clade membership, forest type, reproductive state as well as species were all suggested to be partially influential. Only one species (Microcebus mamiratra) showed signals of unambiguous female dominance in all male-female dyads, whereas the others had no or only a few dyads with female dominance. CONCLUSIONS: Variations in social tolerance and its consequences are most likely influenced by two factors, ecology (via forest type) and physiology (via reproductive activity), and only to a lesser extent by clade membership. The study suggests that mouse lemur females have higher aggression rates and more agonistic conflicts with males when females in the population are reproducing, at least in resource-rich humid forests. The study confirms a high degree of social plasticity between species in these small solitary foragers that supports their taxonomic distinctiveness and requires further scientific attention.

Genetic and morphological diversity of mouse lemurs (Microcebus spp.) in northern Madagascar: The discovery of a putative new species?

Tropical forests harbor extremely high levels of biological diversity and are quickly disappearing. Despite the increasingly recognized high rate of habitat loss, it is expected that new species will be discovered as more effort is put to document tropical biodiversity. Exploring under-studied regions is particularly urgent if we consider the rapid changes in habitat due to anthropogenic activities. Madagascar is known for its extraordinary biological diversity and endemicity. It is also threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation. It holds more than 100 endemic primate species (lemurs). Among these, Microcebus (mouse lemurs) is one of the more diverse genera. We sampled mouse lemurs from several sites across northern Madagascar, including forests never sampled before. We obtained morphological data from 99 Microcebus individuals; we extracted DNA from tissue samples of 42 individuals and amplified two mitochondrial loci (cytb and cox2) commonly used for species identification. Our findings update the distribution of three species (Microcebus tavaratra, Microcebus arnholdi, and Microcebus mamiratra), including a major increase in the distribution area of M. arnholdi. We also report the discovery of a new Microcebus lineage genetically related to M. arnholdi. Several complementary approaches suggest that the newly identified Microcebus lineage might correspond to a new putative species, to be confirmed or rejected with additional data. In addition, morphological analyses showed (a) clear phenotypic differences between M. tavaratra and M. arnholdi, but no clear differences between the new Microcebus lineage and the sister species M. arnholdi; and (b) a significant correlation between climatic variables and morphology, suggesting a possible relationship between species identity, morphology, and environment. By integrating morphological, climatic, genetic, and spatial data of two northern Microcebus species, we show that the spatial distribution of forest-dwelling species may be used as a proxy to reconstruct the past spatial changes in forest cover and vegetation type.

Are sleeping site ecology and season linked to intestinal helminth prevalence and diversity in two sympatric, nocturnal and arboreal primate hosts (Lepilemur edwardsi and Avahi occidentalis)?

BACKGROUND: Various factors, such as climate, body size and sociality are often linked to parasitism. This constrains the identification of other determinants driving parasite infections. Here, we investigate for the first time intestinal parasites in two sympatric arboreal primate species, which share similar activity patterns, feeding ecology, body size and sociality, and cope with the same climate conditions, but differ in sleeping site ecology: the Milne-Edward's sportive lemur (Lepilemur edwardsi) and the Western woolly lemur (Avahi occidentalis). Comparison of these two species aimed to test whether differences in sleeping sites are related to differences in parasite infection patterns. Additionally, gender and seasonal factors were taken into account. Animals were radio-collared to record their sleeping site dynamics and to collect fecal samples to assess intestinal parasitism during both the dry and the rainy season. RESULTS: Only low parasite diversity was detected, which is attributable to the strict arboreal lifestyle of these lemurs, limiting their contact with infective parasite stages. L. edwardsi, which sleeps in tree holes and repeatedly uses the same sleeping site, excreted eggs of strongyle and oxyurid nematodes, whereby strongyles always occurred in coinfection with oxyurids. In contrast, A. occidentalis, which sleeps on open branches and frequently changes sleeping sites, only excreted eggs of strongyle nematodes. This difference can be attributed to a potential favorable environment presented by tree holes for infective stages, facilitating parasitic transmission. Additionally, Strongylida in A. occidentalis were only observed in the rainy season, suggesting an arrested development during the dry season in the nematodes' life cycle. Males and females of both lemur species showed the same frequency of parasitism. No differences in body mass of infected and non-infected individuals were observed, indicating that the animals' body condition remains unaffected by the detected gastrointestinal parasites. CONCLUSIONS: The comparison of two primate hosts with a very similar lifestyle suggests an influence of the sleeping site ecology on intestinal parasites. In A. occidentalis there was a clear seasonal difference in strongyle egg excretion. These results improve our understanding of the parasite ecology in these endangered primate species, which may be critical in the light of species conservation.

High frequency/ultrasonic communication in a critically endangered nocturnal primate, Claire's mouse lemur (Microcebus mamiratra).

The critically endangered Claire's mouse lemur, only found in the evergreen rain forest of the National Park Lokobe (LNP) and a few lowland evergreen rain forest fragments of northern Madagascar, was described recently. The present study provides the first quantified information on vocal acoustics of calls, sound associated behavioral context, acoustic niche, and vocal activity of this species. We recorded vocal and social behavior of six male-female and six male-male dyads in a standardized social-encounter paradigm in June and July 2016 at the LNP, Nosy Bé island. Over six successive nights per dyad, we audio recorded and observed behaviors for 3 hr at the beginning of the activity period. Based on the visual inspection of spectrograms and standardized multiparametric sound analysis, we identified seven different call types. Call types can be discriminated based on a combination of harmonicity, fundamental frequency variation, call duration, and degree of tonality. Acoustic features of tonal call types showed that for communication, mouse lemurs use the cryptic, high frequency/ultrasonic frequency niche. Two call types, the Tsak and the Grunt call, were emitted most frequently. Significant differences in vocal activity of the Tsak call were found between male-female and male-male dyads, linked primarily to agonistic conflicts. Dominant mouse lemurs vocalized more than subdominant ones, suggesting that signaling may present an honest indicator of fitness. A comparison of our findings of the Claire's mouse lemur with published findings of five bioacoustically studied mouse lemur species points to the notion that a complex interplay between ecology, predation pressure, and phylogenetic relatedness may shape the evolution of acoustic divergence between species in this smallest-bodied primate radiation. Thus, comparative bioacoustic studies, using standardized procedures, are promising to unravel the role of vocalization for primate species diversity and evolution and for identifying candidates for vocalization-based non-invasive monitoring for conservation purposes.

Variation in reproduction of the smallest-bodied primate radiation, the mouse lemurs (Microcebus spp.): A synopsis.

Reproduction is a fundamental trait in the life history of any species and contributes to species diversity and evolution. Here, we aim to review the barely known variation in reproductive patterns of the smallest-bodied primate radiation, the Malagasy mouse lemurs, focusing on twelve species of four phylogenetic clades. We present a new reproductive field dataset collected between May and November 1996-2016 for nine species (Microcebus murinus, M. myoxinus, M. ravelobensis, M. bongolavensis, M. danfossi, M. sambiranensis, M. margothmarshae, M. mamiratra, and M. lehilahytsara) and add published field information on three additional species. In the majority of species, the estrus of females was recorded in the period of long days (day length longer than 12 hr), whereas male testes size increased about one to three months prior to this. Reproductive schedules varied considerably between the four clades. Sympatric species-pairs of different clades differed in the timing of female and male reproduction, suggesting strong phylogenetic constraints. Populations of the same species in a different ecological setting varied in the onset of reproduction, suggesting substantial environmental plasticity. Warm temperatures and rainfall throughout the year may allow for less expressed reproductive seasonality. Our results suggest that an interplay between phylogenetic relatedness, ambient temperature (as a proxy for thermo regulatory constraints), and rainfall (as a proxy for food availability), may best explain this variation. Findings further point to a more complex control of mouse lemur reproduction than previously described and illuminate phylogenetic constraints and adaptive potentials in behavioral reaction norms of a species-rich primate radiation.

Morphological variability or inter-observer bias? A methodological toolkit to improve data quality of multi-researcher datasets for the analysis of morphological variation.

OBJECTIVES: The investigation of morphological variation in animals is widely used in taxonomy, ecology, and evolution. Using large datasets for meta-analyses has dramatically increased, raising concerns about dataset compatibilities and biases introduced by contributions of multiple researchers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We compiled morphological data on 13 variables for 3073 individual mouse lemurs (Cheirogaleidae, Microcebus spp.) from 25 taxa and 153 different sampling locations, measured by 48 different researchers. We introduced and applied a filtering pipeline and quantified improvements in data quality (Shapiro-Francia statistic, skewness, and excess kurtosis). The filtered dataset was then used to test for genus-wide sexual size dimorphism and the applicability of Rensch's, Allen's, and Bergmann's rules. RESULTS: Our pipeline reduced inter-observer bias (i.e., increased normality of data distributions). Inter-observer reliability of measurements was notably variable, highlighting the need to reduce data collection biases. Although subtle, we found a consistent pattern of sexual size dimorphism across Microcebus, with females being the larger (but not heavier) sex. Sexual size dimorphism was isometric, providing no support for Rensch's rule. Variations in tail length but not in ear size were consistent with the predictions of Allen's rule. Body mass and length followed a pattern contrary to predictions of Bergmann's rule. DISCUSSION: We highlighted the usefulness of large multi-researcher datasets for testing ecological hypotheses after correcting for inter-observer biases. Using genus-wide tests, we outlined generalizable patterns of morphological variability across all mouse lemurs. This new methodological toolkit aims to facilitate future large-scale morphological comparisons for a wide range of taxa and applications.

Long-term host-pathogen evolution of endogenous beta- and gammaretroviruses in mouse lemurs with little evidence of recent retroviral introgression.

Madagascar's flora and fauna have evolved in relative isolation since the island split from the African and Indian continents. When the last common ancestors of lemurs left Africa between 40 and 70 million years ago, they carried a subset of the viral diversity of the mainland population within them, which continued to evolve throughout the lemur radiation. Relative to other primate radiations, we know very little about the past or present viral diversity of lemurs, particularly mouse lemurs. Using high-throughput sequencing, we identified two gammaretroviruses and three betaretroviruses in the genomes of four species of wild mouse lemurs. The two gammaretroviruses and two betaretroviruses have not previously been described. One betaretrovirus was previously identified. All identified viruses are present in both Lorisiformes and Lemuriformes but absent from haplorrhine primates. The estimated ages of these viruses are consistent with the estimated divergence dates of the host lineages, suggesting they colonized the lemur genome after the Haplorrhine-Strepsirrhine split, but before the Lorisiformes-Lemuriformes split and before the colonization of Madagascar. The viral phylogenies connect multiple lineages of retroviruses from non-lemur and non-Madagascar-native species, suggesting substantial cross-species transmission occurred deep in the primate clade prior to its geographic dispersal. These phylogenies provide novel insights into known retroviral clades. They suggest that the origin of gammaretroviruses in rodents or bats may be premature and that the Jaagsiekte sheep virus clade may be older and more broadly distributed among mammals than previously thought.

Diversification processes in Gerp's mouse lemur demonstrate the importance of rivers and altitude as biogeographic barriers in Madagascar's humid rainforests.

Madagascar exhibits exceptionally high levels of biodiversity and endemism. Models to explain the diversification and distribution of species in Madagascar stress the importance of historical variability in climate conditions which may have led to the formation of geographic barriers by changing water and habitat availability. The relative importance of these models for the diversification of the various forest-adapted taxa of Madagascar has yet to be understood. Here, we reconstructed the phylogeographic history of Gerp's mouse lemur (Microcebus gerpi) to identify relevant mechanisms and drivers of diversification in Madagascar's humid rainforests. We used restriction site associated DNA (RAD) markers and applied population genomic and coalescent-based techniques to estimate genetic diversity, population structure, gene flow and divergence times among M. gerpi populations and its two sister species M. jollyae and M. marohita. Genomic results were complemented with ecological niche models to better understand the relative barrier function of rivers and altitude. We show that M. gerpi diversified during the late Pleistocene. The inferred ecological niche, patterns of gene flow and genetic differentiation in M. gerpi suggest that the potential for rivers to act as biogeographic barriers depended on both size and elevation of headwaters. Populations on opposite sides of the largest river in the area with headwaters that extend far into the highlands show particularly high genetic differentiation, whereas rivers with lower elevation headwaters have weaker barrier functions, indicated by higher migration rates and admixture. We conclude that M. gerpi likely diversified through repeated cycles of dispersal punctuated by isolation to refugia as a result of paleoclimatic fluctuations during the Pleistocene. We argue that this diversification scenario serves as a model of diversification for other rainforest taxa that are similarly limited by geographic factors. In addition, we highlight conservation implications for this critically endangered species, which faces extreme habitat loss and fragmentation.

Does nonnutritive tree gouging in a rainforest-dwelling lemur convey resource ownership as does loud calling in a dry forest-dwelling lemur?

Nonhuman primates may defend crucial resources using acoustic or chemical signals. When essential resources are limited, ownership display for a resource may be enhanced. Defending resources may depend on population density and habitat characteristics. Using the Milne Edwards' sportive lemurs (Lepilemur edwardsi) and weasel sportive lemurs (L. mustelinus) as models, we tested whether two cryptic nocturnal lemur species differing in population density and habitat show differences in their vocal and chemical communication for signaling ownership of resources. L. edwardsi inhabits a western dry deciduous forest in a high-density population, whereas L. mustelinus is found in an eastern rainforest in low density. We followed ten L. edwardsi (six males and four females) and nine L. mustelinus (four males and five females) for 215 hr during the early evening (06:00-10:00 p.m.) and the early morning (02:00-05:00 a.m.) and recorded their behavior using focal animal sampling. We found that both species differed in their vocal and chemical communication. L. edwardsi was highly vocal and displayed loud calling in the mornings and evenings while feeding or in the vicinity of resting places. In contrast, L. mustelinus never vocalized during observations, but displayed tree-gouging behavior that was never observed in L. edwardsi. Tree gouging occurred more often during early evening sessions than early morning sessions. Subjects gouged trees after leaving their sleeping hole and before moving around. We suggest that, in weasel sportive lemurs, non-nutritive tree gouging is used as a scent-marking behavior in order to display ownership of sleeping sites. Altogether, our findings provide first empirical evidence on the evolution of different communication systems in two cryptic nocturnal primate species contrasting in habitat quality and population density. Further investigations are needed to provide more insight into the underlying mechanisms.

Evolutionary significance of the variation in acoustic communication of a cryptic nocturnal primate radiation (Microcebus spp.).

Acoustic phenotypic variation is of major importance for speciation and the evolution of species diversity. Whereas selective and stochastic forces shaping the acoustic divergence of signaling systems are well studied in insects, frogs, and birds, knowledge on the processes driving acoustic phenotypic evolution in mammals is limited. We quantified the acoustic variation of a call type exchanged during agonistic encounters across eight distinct species of the smallest-bodied nocturnal primate radiation, the Malagasy mouse lemurs. The species live in two different habitats (dry forest vs. humid forest), differ in geographic distance to each other, and belong to four distinct phylogenetic clades within the genus. Genetically defined species were discriminated reliably on the phenotypic level based on their acoustic distinctiveness in a discriminant function analysis. Acoustic variation was explained by genetic distance, whereas differences in morphology, forest type, or geographic distance had no effect. The strong impact of genetics was supported by a correlation between acoustic and genetic distance and the high agreement in branching pattern between the acoustic and molecular phylogenetic trees. In sum, stochastic factors such as genetic drift best explained acoustic diversification in a social communication call of mouse lemurs.

Geographic variation in loud calls of sportive lemurs (Lepilemur ssp.) and their implications for conservation.

Bioacoustical studies in nonhuman primates have shown that loud calls can be reliably used as a noninvasive diagnostic tool for discriminating cryptic taxa, for their monitoring in the field as well as for the reconstruction of their phylogeny. To date, it is unknown, whether loud calls can be used for these purposes in sportive lemurs, for which current genetic studies suggest the existence of at least 24 cryptic species. The aim of this study was to compare the structure of loud calls of populations of sportive lemurs to characterize informative acoustic traits for taxa discrimination and to establish a phylogenetic tree based on acoustic structure. We have based our study on Inter-River-Systems (IRSs) as operational taxonomic units. Samples were collected from nine different localities of four IRSs along a transect from northwestern to northern Madagascar. Two call types, the ouah and the high-pitched call, were present in almost all IRSs. Six temporal and eight spectral parameters were measured in 196 calls of the best quality given by 21 different males. Variation within and between IRSs was assessed by multivariate statistics. Loud calls differed significantly among the different IRSs. The IRSs varied most in spectral parameters, whereas temporal parameters were less variable. Phylogenetic analysis using parsimony yielded 11 out of 17 acoustic characters as phylogenetically informative. The acoustic tree had an average branch support of 78%. Its topology coincided less with geographic distances than with genetic tree topology. Altogether our findings revealed that loud calls separated geographically isolated populations of sportive lemurs specifically. Based on these results, noninvasive tools for diagnosis and monitoring of cryptic species in nature can be developed for conservation management.

Exceptional diversity of mouse lemurs (Microcebus spp.) in the Makira region with the description of one new species.

Although the number of described lemur species has increased considerably over the last 20 years, detailed biogeographic data are still lacking from many geographic regions, in particular in the eastern part of Madagascar. This study investigated mouse lemur species diversity in a previously unstudied Inter-River-System in the eastern Makira region. Three sites were visited and 26 individuals were sampled and characterized with 13 external morphometric measurements. Standard phylogenetic analyses were performed on the basis of sequences of three mitochondrial loci by including representatives of all other published mouse lemur species for comparison. The analyses revealed the presence of three mouse lemur species in one study site, two of which were previously undescribed. The two new species are genetically distinct and belong to the larger-bodied mouse lemur species on the island, whereas the third species, Microcebus mittermeieri, belongs to the smaller-bodied mouse lemur species. The study fully describes one of the new species. This study and other lemur inventories suggest that the Makira region is particularly rich in lemur species and the lack of any protected zone in this area should now attract the urgent attention of conservation stakeholders.

Large rivers do not always act as species barriers for Lepilemur sp.

Sportive lemurs constitute a highly diverse endemic lemur family (24 species) for which many biogeographic boundaries are not yet clarified. Based on recent phylogeographic models, this study aims to determine the importance of two large rivers (the Antainambalana and Rantanabe) in northeastern Madagascar as species barriers for Lepilemur seali. The Antainambalana River was previously assumed to act as the southern border of its distribution. A total of 1,038 bp of the mtDNA of four individuals stemming from two adjacent inter-river systems south of the Antainambalana River was sequenced and compared to sequences of 22 described Lepilemur species. The phylogenetic reconstruction did not find support for either of the two rivers as species barrier for Lepilemur, as all captured individuals clustered closely with and therefore belonged to L. seali. However, a previously published sequence of an individual from a site south of our study sites belongs to a separate species. The southern boundary of L. seali must therefore be one of two large rivers further south of our study sites. The results suggest that L. seali may possess a relatively large altitudinal range that enabled this species to migrate around the headwaters of the Antainambalana and Rantanabe Rivers. Previous phylogeographic models need to be refined in order to incorporate these findings, and more species-specific altitudinal range data are urgently needed in order to fully understand the biogeographic patterns of lemurs on Madagascar.