Pariente's fork-marked lemur (Phaner parienti), or the Sambirano fork-marked lemur
Appearance
Phaner parienti, or the Sambirano fork-marked lemur, is a species of primate mammal in the family Cheirogaleidae.
The fur on the back is brown with a black stripe down to the base of the tail. The peripheral third of the tail is also dark. The ventral side of the body is light, which distinguishes this species from other Phaners parientis. Some specimens have white hairs on the upper part of the tail.
Distribution
Found in north-western Madagascar, in the Sambiranu region, south of Ambanyi. The range includes the Ampasindava peninsula and extends south to the Andranumalaza River. It occurs up to 800 m above sea level.
Nutrition and lifestyle
Omnivorous, feeding on tree sap and resin, buds and shoots, insects and larvae. Phaner parienti nests in nests left by other lemurs, especially Mirza coquereli. It prefers lowland tropical forests. Spends most of its time in the upper stratum of the forest.
Conservation status
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has given this species a conservation status of Vulnerable. Although it has an area of 20 000 km², the range is highly fragmented and continues to decrease due to extensive agriculture, deforestation and coal mining.
