LEMUR
			Phylum: Class: Order: Family: Chordata Mammalia Primates Lemuridae

More primitive than their relatives the monkeys, lemurs are a group of small animals with bushy tails and large eyes. They are confined to Madagascar, living mostly in the forests but also in dry scrubland. The word lemur means "ghost," which is a fitting name, for some lemurs have eerie-sounding calls. They eat fruit, insects, and sometimes small birds and reptiles. Apart from humans, eagles are their main enemy.

With the exception of the specialized aye-aye, indri, and sifaka, scientists divide the lemurs into three groups. The first group contains the mouse and dwarf lemurs, which are rarely more than 12 in. (30 cm) long, with bushy tails and short, pointed faces. The coats range from red top gray, with white or yellow underparts.

The second group consists of lemurs between 20 and 40 in. (51 and 102 cm) long. They, too, have bushy tails. The ring-tailed lemur is gray, with a black-and-white ringed tail. The ruffed lemur is the largest lemur. It resembles a panda and is colored black and white, sometimes with some red.

The third group contains only one lemur, the sportive or weasel lemur, which is about the size of the largest dwarf lemur. It has long hind legs and is entirely vegetarian.