Wearing Different Coats

Researchers have found that lemurs suspected to belong to different species because of their strikingly different coat colors, are not only genetically alike, but belong to the same species.

Historically, species classification has been based on comparison of visible physical characteristics of plants or animals. Researchers tested the genetic relationship of 70 lemurs that were thought to belong to up to three different species.

The lemurs tested had three extremely different coat colors and lived in different types of forest locations in southern Madagascar--classic characteristics of separate species.

Surprisingly, the researchers found that although the lemurs appeared to be different species because they were visually distinct, they did not differ genetically. All belong to the same previously identified species, Microcebus griseorufus.

The researchers also show that lemurs with each of the three different coat colors could be found in all three geographical locations in similar proportions. They note that lemurs are nocturnal animals and tend to depend on auditory cues, or smell, more than on visual cues to recognize each other.

---LiveScience Staff

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Credit: L. R. Godfrey