Fact Sheet
A blue-eyed lemur in a forested natural habitat enclosure. Click image for larger version.
Order: Primates; Suborder: Prosimii
Family: Lemuridae; Genus: Eulemur
Species: macaco; Subspecies: flavifrons
Related Forms
The black lemur (Eulemur macaco macaco) is very similar in life history and behavior but has brown eyes, different fur coloration, and occupies a different habitat.
Key Facts
Adult Size : 4.4 - 5.3 pounds
Social life : Sociable, group sizes of 2 - 15 animals, average is 7 - 10
Habitat : northwestern dry deciduous forest
Diet : Ripe fruit, leaves, flowers and occasionally insects
Lifespan : 20 - 25 years
Sexual maturity : 2 years
Mating : very seasonal June - July
Gestation : approximately 120 days, infants are born between September and November
Number of young : one per year
DLC Naming theme : blue-eyed movie stars (Travolta, Hepburn, Newman, etc.)
Malagasy names : Ankomba, Ankomba Joby, Ankomba Mena
Interesting Facts
- Blue-eyed lemurs are one of two non-human primates to have truly blue eyes.
- Blue-eyed lemurs are sexually dichromatic, meaning the males and females are always different colors: females are orange-brown and males are black.
- Males are born brown and only begin to turn black after 5-6 weeks.
- Blue-eyed lemurs can interbreed with common black lemurs, but their offspring always have brown eyes. The blue-eyed gene is thought to be recessive as in humans.