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Lemurs are strepsirrhine primates, all species of which are endemic to Madagascar. They include the smallest primate in the world, Madame Berthe's mouse lemur, which weighs , and range up to the size of the indri, which can weigh as much as . However, recently extinct species grew much larger. As of 2010, five families, 15 genera, and 101 species and subspecies of lemur were formally recognized. Of the 101 species and subspecies, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classified eight as Critically Endangered, 18 as Endangered, 15 as Vulnerable, four as Near Threatened, eight as Least Concern and 41 as Data Deficient; seven were yet to be evaluated. From 2000 through 2008, 39 new species were described and nine other taxa resurrected. By 2014, the number of species and subspecies recognized had increased to 105; of these, the IUCN classified 24 as Critically Endangered, 49 as Endangered, 20 as Vulnerable, three as Near Threatened, three as Least Concern and four as Data Deficient; two were yet to be evaluated. The number of lemur species is likely to continue growing in the coming years, as field studies, cytogenetic and molecular genetic research continues.〔 There is not complete agreement over the latest revisions to lemur taxonomy, with some experts preferring an estimated 50 lemur species. The debates are likely to continue, as some scholars label the explosive growth of species numbers as taxonomic inflation. In many cases, classifications will ultimately depend upon which species concept is used. In the case of the lemurs of Madagascar, which have suffered extensively from deforestation and habitat fragmentation, nearly 25% of all species are either Endangered or Critically Endangered, most have yet to be extensively studied, and nearly all populations are in decline. For these reasons, taxonomists and conservationists favor splitting them into separate species to develop an effective strategy for the conservation of the full range of lemur diversity.〔 Implicitly, this means that full species status will help grant genetically distinct populations added environmental protection. At least 17 species and eight genera are believed to have become extinct in the 2,000 years since humans first arrived in Madagascar.〔Mittermeier, pp. 50–51〕 All known extinct species were large, ranging in weight from . The largest known subfossil lemur was ''Archaeoindris fontoynonti'', a giant sloth lemur, which weighed more than a modern female gorilla. The extinction of the largest lemurs is often attributed to predation by humans and possibly habitat destruction.〔 Since all extinct lemurs were not only large (and thus ideal prey species), but also slow-moving (and thus more vulnerable to human predation), their presumably slow-reproducing and low-density populations were least likely to survive the introduction of humans.〔 Gradual changes in climate have also been blamed, and may have played a minor role; however since the largest lemurs also survived the climatic changes from previous ice ages and only disappeared following the arrival of humans, it is unlikely that climatic change was largely responsible.〔 There is strong evidence of extensive declines in extant populations since the introductions of humans, particularly among the larger and more specialized lemurs.〔 As long as habitats continue to shrink, degrade and fragment, extinctions are likely to continue. ==Taxonomic classification== (詳細はArchaeolemuridae : monkey lemurs * *Genus: †''Archaeolemur'' (2 extinct species) * *Genus: †''Hadropithecus'' (1 extinct species) *Family: Cheirogaleidae * *Genus: ''Allocebus'': hairy-eared dwarf lemur (1 extant species) * *Genus: ''Cheirogaleus'': dwarf lemurs (6 extant species) * *Genus: ''Microcebus'': mouse lemurs (21 extant species) * *Genus: ''Mirza'': giant mouse lemurs (2 extant species) * *Genus: ''Phaner'': fork-marked lemurs (4 extant species) *Family: Daubentoniidae: aye-aye * *Genus: ''Daubentonia'' (1 extant species, 1 extinct species) *Family: Indriidae * *Genus: ''Avahi'': woolly lemurs (9 extant species) * *Genus: ''Indri'': indri (1 extant species) * *Genus: ''Propithecus'': sifakas (9 extant species) *Family: Lemuridae * *Genus: ''Eulemur'': true lemurs (12 extant species) * *Genus: ''Hapalemur'': bamboo lemurs (5 extant species, 3 extant subspecies) * *Genus: ''Lemur'': ring-tailed lemur (1 extant species) * *Genus: †''Pachylemur'' (2 extinct species) * *Genus: ''Prolemur'': greater bamboo lemur (1 extant species) * *Genus: ''Varecia'': ruffed lemurs (2 extant species, 3 extant subspecies) *Family: Lepilemuridae: sportive lemurs * *Genus: ''Lepilemur'' (26 extant species) *Family: †Megaladapidae: koala lemurs * *Genus: †''Megaladapis'' (3 extinct species) *Family: †Palaeopropithecidae: sloth lemurs * *Genus: †''Archaeoindris'' (1 extinct species) * *Genus: †''Babakotia'' (1 extinct species) * *Genus: †''Mesopropithecus'' (3 extinct species) * *Genus: †''Palaeopropithecus'' (3 extinct species) The placement of lemurs within the order Strepsirrhini is currently under debate, although both sides agree upon the same phylogenetic tree. * Order Primates * * Suborder Strepsirrhini: lemurs, galagos, and lorisids * * * Infraorder Lemuriformes * * * * Superfamily Lemuroidea * * * * * Family †Archaeolemuridae * * * * * Family Cheirogaleidae * * * * * Family Daubentoniidae * * * * * Family Indriidae * * * * * Family Lemuridae * * * * * Family Lepilemuridae * * * * * Family †Megaladapidae * * * * * Family †Palaeopropithecidae * * * * Superfamily Lorisoidea * * Suborder Haplorrhini: tarsiers, monkeys and apes 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「list of lemur species」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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