Mammals · Primates · Cheirogaleidae

Grey Mouse Lemur

Microcebus murinus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The grey mouse lemur is one of the smallest and most abundant primates in Madagascar, native to the dry forests of the west of the island. It is nocturnal and omnivorous: fruit, flowers, nectar, insects and occasionally small vertebrates. In the dry season it stores fat in its tail and goes into prolonged torpor. It is one of the primates most used in ageing research, because its life cycle is short and it spontaneously develops brain changes similar to those in humans.

Weight

50 g – 80 g

Size

12 cm – 14 cm

Lifespan

10 years

Diet

Omnivore

Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

RainforestTemperate forestOmnivore Nocturnal Solitary Rainforest Temperate forest Mammal

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Fun facts

GeneralOne of the smallest primates; it stores fat in its tail to see out the dry season.
It fattens its tail before the dry season until it doubles its body weight, and then spends months in torpor living off that reserve, a behaviour typical of rodents that is exceptional in a primate.
It is a leading model in research on brain ageing: it spontaneously develops deposits and changes comparable to those of Alzheimer's, in a primate whose life cycle is ten times shorter than ours.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Dry deciduous forest, spiny scrub and secondary forest of western Madagascar
Sexual maturity: 8 months
Gestation / incubation: 2 months
Litter / clutch size: 2

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microcebus_murinus