Abstract
It has been postulated that predation has been an important selective force in molding social behavior in mammals. However, observations of predators taking primates are rare and most cases concern relatively large diurnal primates. For the lemurs of Madagascar little quantified information is available, and it has generally been assumed that predation by carnivores and raptors is rare. Contrary to expectations there is a considerable amount of data on the topic, derived from several different sources, which is presented herein. The most detailed information on lemur predation is for Microcebus murinus. The population dynamics of this species is reviewed in light of heavy predation pressure from two owls (Tyto alba and Asio madagascariensis),particularly the implications of predation on social behavior and life-history traits of this small nocturnal primate.
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Goodman, S.M., O’Connor, S., Langrand, O. (1993). A Review of Predation on Lemurs: Implications for the Evolution of Social Behavior in Small, Nocturnal Primates. In: Kappeler, P.M., Ganzhorn, J.U. (eds) Lemur Social Systems and Their Ecological Basis. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-2412-4_5
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