In the last 20 years, various species of lemurs have been discovered, while forest habitats have been rapidly disappearing. Recent reports from the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) have identified lemurs as one of the most threatened groups of vertebrates , with 33 of the 107 species recognized as critically endangered.
New to the group is the Jonah mouse lemur ( Microcebus jonahi), one of the smallest living primates. Although their conservation status has yet to be assessed, the recent classification of nearly a third of lemurs as critically endangered bodes ill for this new discovery.
The scientists reported that some of their specimens had substantially different characteristics from all previously described lemurs, confirming a new suspect species based on genetics. They named the new species Jonah rat lemur ( Microcebus jonahi ) in honor of the pioneer of lemur research, Professor Jonah Ratsimbazafy, founder of the World Lemur Festival.
These little animals are nocturnal and, as their name suggests, small. M. jonahi is only 26 centimeters long and adults weigh 60 grams , but it is longer than its closest relative, M. macarthurii. It also has a shorter tail and wider head and ears than M. macarthurii.
Reference: Dominik Schüßler et al, Ecology and morphology of mouse lemurs (Microcebus spp.) In a hotspot of microendemism in northeastern Madagascar, with the description of a new species, American Journal of Primatology (2020). DOI: 10.1002 / ajp.23180
