A comparative study of breeding seasonality and litter size in eleven taxa of captive lemurs ( Lemur and Varecia )

摘要: Breeding records of 11 taxa captive lemurs housed at the Duke University Primate Center (DUPC), North Carolina, were analyzed for differences in timing births, relationship between breeding season and photoperiod, litter size. At DUPC there are significant births among certain taxa, including some subspecies Lemur fulvus.However, changes latitude result season. Lemurs moved to higher latitudes mate lower light-dark ratios than on Madagascar. The data presented here consistent with following model: a photoperiodic cue initiating reproductive activity, presumably threshold, precedes actual mating by approximately 2 months, an intervening period physiological social preparation. On Madagascar, selection may have favored that coincide end dry seasons beginning wet seasons, which results lactation weaning during times resource abundance. Taxa from north east highest mean sizes; those west lowest.