Blue-eyed Black Lemurs | Blog 3

 

 Blue-Eyed Black Lemur

Eulemur flavifrons

Two female blue-eyed black lemurs with an infant at Duke Lemur Center.

Social Organization

Blue-eyed black lemurs typically live in multi-female, multi-male groups. These groups will include 1-2 adult females and 1-2 subadult females. It is very rare that groups will have more than three adult females, as an adult individual will usually be "expelled" from the group once a subadult matures. Males, on the other hand, are less closely tied to groups. They are described as "transient," drifters that associate loosely with females. However, there will almost always be a higher number of males than females in a group. 

General group size is about 4-11 individuals, though this can decrease to 3-7 depending on the region groups are found in. On average, there are about 8 individuals in a group. Each group will contain at least one individual of breeding age. 


An example of a group of blue-eyed black lemurs.

Social Structure

Female blue-eyed black lemurs are dominant over males. During mating season they have first pick of the available males and are made a priority during communal feeding. Juvenile individuals receive a rank based on their mother's rank within the group. Dominant females will regularly confront individuals lower in the group hierarchy, with these "subordinate" individuals usually displaying submissive behavior in response. 81% of the dominance interactions between females and males involve physical attacks, with females "winning," so to speak, 99% of these interactions. Females will even chase off unwelcome female strangers, exhibiting territorial behavior quite often. It is reported that females utilize aggressive dominance much more than "social" dominance. The dominance patterns displayed by female blue-eyed black lemurs fall under a phenomenon known as the Female Challenge Hypothesis, which is rarely seen in mammals. 


Leigh and Murphy, a female and male blue-eyed black lemur roaming their Natural Habitat Enclosure at Duke Lemur Center.

Female blue-eyed black lemurs typically give birth for the first time around three years old. While daughters will stay with their birth groups throughout their lives, sons will leave the group when mating season begins.   

Mating System

Blue-eyed black lemurs are the most sexually dimorphic primates in Madagascar due to their differing fur colors. Females have orange fur with cream-colored bellies and rings around their faces, which are a darker brown color. Males have black fur, but can also be a very dark brown. However, male and female individuals are only dichromatic once they reach adulthood. Both sexes are born with orange-russet fur, but males begin to change color at around four to eight weeks old. 



A chart depicting the sexual dimorphism between blue-eyed black lemur males and females.

Blue-eyed black lemurs are polygynous, meaning that males will mate with multiple partners. Males will act aggressively towards one another as they compete for the attention of dominant females. They mate seasonally between April and June, though mating can also occur between November and December in captivity, giving birth between March and April. As previously mentioned, males will leave their birth group during the mating season to find other available females---which coincides directly with the increased aggression observed between males during this time. 

Care System 

Blue-eyed black lemurs are quite difficult to observe in the wild, so much of what is known about their care system comes from interactions between individuals in captivity. 

During infancy, mothers will carry infants on their bellies, typically for their first three weeks. Groups of blue-eyed black lemurs will engage in alloparenting, with group members carrying, grooming, and playing with infants regardless of sex. At three to four weeks, infants will ride on their mothers' backs, and by their seventh week, they will be taught social skills by their mother and other group members. Playing is highly encouraged, and can be independent or cooperative with other juveniles. Under managed care, it has been observed that juveniles will become more independent from their mothers at around seven weeks, beginning to travel on their own. At seven months, they are almost entirely independent, engaging in adult behaviors with other group members, such as foraging, traveling, playing, socializing, allogrooming, and fighting. 


A female blue-eyed black lemur with her infant at the Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens.

References

Digby L., Stevens A. (2007). Maintenance of Female Dominance in Blue-Eyed Black Lemurs (Eulemur macaco flavifrons) and Gray Bamboo Lemurs (Hapalemur griseus griseus) Under Semi-Free-Ranging and Captive Conditions. Zoo Biology, 26(345-361). Retrieved from: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002%2Fzoo.20140  

Duke Lemur Center staff. (n.d.). Blue-Eyed Black Lemur. Duke Lemur Center. Retrieved from: https://lemur.duke.edu/discover/meet-the-lemurs/blue-eyed-black-lemur/

Garbutt, N. (2007). Mammals of Madagascar: A Complete Guide. Yale University Press. 

New England Primate Conservancy. (n.d.). Blue-Eyed Black Lemur. New England Primate Conservancy. Retrieved from: https://neprimateconservancy.org/blue-eyed-black-lemur/

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library staff. (n.d.). Blue-eyed black lemur (Eulemur flavifrons) fact sheet. LibGuides at International Environment Library Consortium. Retrieved from: https://ielc.libguides.com/sdzg/factsheets/blue-eyed_black_lemur/summary

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