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The gray mouse lemur (''Microcebus murinus''), or lesser mouse lemur, is a small lemur, a type of strepsirrhine primate, found only on the island of Madagascar. Weighing , it is the largest of the mouse lemurs (genus ''Microcebus''), a group that includes the smallest primates in the world. The species is named for its mouse-like size and coloration and is known locally (in Malagasy) as ''tsidy'', ''koitsiky'', ''titilivaha'', ''pondiky'', and ''vakiandry''. The gray mouse lemur and all other mouse lemurs are considered cryptic species, as they are nearly indistinguishable from each other by appearance. For this reason, the gray mouse lemur was considered the only mouse lemur species for decades until more recent studies began to distinguish between the species. Like all mouse lemurs, this species is nocturnal and arboreal. It is very active, and though it forages alone, groups of males and females form sleeping groups and share tree holes during the day. It exhibits a form of dormancy called torpor during the cool, dry winter months, and in some cases undergoes seasonal torpor (or hibernation), which is unusual for primates. The gray mouse lemur can be found in several types of forest throughout western and southern Madagascar. Its diet consists primarily of fruit, insects, flowers, and nectar. In the wild, its natural predators include owls, snakes, and endemic mammalian predators. Predation pressure is higher for this species than among any other primate species, with one out of four individuals taken by a predator each year. This is counterbalanced by its high reproductive rate. Breeding is seasonal, and distinct vocalizations are used to prevent hybridization with species that overlap its range. Gestation lasts approximately 60 days, and typically two young are born. The offspring are usually independent in two months, and can reproduce after one year. The gray mouse lemur has a reproductive lifespan of five years, although captive individuals have been reported to live up to 15 years. Although threatened by deforestation, habitat degradation, and live capture for the pet trade, it is considered one of Madagascar's most abundant small native mammals. It can tolerate moderate food shortages by experiencing daily torpor to conserve energy, but extended food shortages due to climate change may pose a significant risk to the species. ==Etymology== The gray or lesser mouse lemur is named for its brownish-gray fur and mouse-like size and appearance. The genus name, ''Microcebus'', derives from the Greek words ''mikros'', meaning "small", and ''kebos'', meaning "monkey". The Latin version of ''kebos'', ''cebus'', is a common suffix used for primate names, despite the fact that the gray mouse lemur is a lemur, and not a monkey. The species name, ''murinus'', means "mouse-like" and derives from the Latin word ''mus'', or "mouse", and the Latin suffix ''-inus'', which means "like". The lemur is known locally by several names in Malagasy, depending upon the region. Around Tôlanaro (Fort Dauphin), it is called ''pondiky'' (:punˈdikʲ). In the northern end of its range, it is known as ''tsidy'' (:ˈtʃidʲ). Around Morondava, it is referred to as ''koitsiky'' (:kuiˈtʃikʲ), ''titilivaha'' (:ti̥tiliˈva), and ''vakiandry'' (:vakiˈaɳɖʐʲ). In many cases, these Malagasy names are also used for other visually indistinguishable mouse lemur species that live within its range. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Gray mouse lemur」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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