Abstract
Detailed descriptions of ruffed lemur reproductive biology and behavior are presented, including data on pregnancy, parturition, litter size, and infant care. As with various other prosimians, ruffed lemurs are reproductively photosensitive and seasonally polyestrous. Litters of one to six infants are born from March through July after a gestation length of 102 days. The most frequent litter size in captivity is twins, followed by singletons. Females give birth in nest boxes, usually between the hours of 2000 and 0400. Maternal neglect is associated with low birth weight, infant hypothermia, and large litter size. Infants rejected by the dams are artificially reared in a nursery setting and reintroduced to adult animals at 4–6 months of age.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 349-363 |
Number of pages | 15 |
Journal | Zoo Biology |
Volume | 6 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1987 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- maternal neglect
- nest box
- reproductive biology
- twins
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Animal Science and Zoology