Editing Pygmy mouse lemur

{{Short description|Species of lemur}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Pygmy mouse lemur
| image = Zwergmausmaki--w.jpg
| status = VU
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 19 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=Baden, A. |author2=Blanco, M. |author3=Chikhi, L. |author4=Cooke, A. |author5=Davies, N. |author6=Dolch, R. |author7=Donati, G. |author8=Ganzhorn, J. |author9=Golden, C. |author10=Groeneveld, L.F. |author11=Irwin, M. |author12=Johnson, S. |author13=Kappeler, P. |author14=King, T. |author15=Lewis, R. |author16=Louis, E.E. |author17=Markolf, M. |author18=Mass, V. |author19=Mittermeier, R.A. |author20=Nichols, R. |author21=Patel, E. |author22=Rabarivola, C.J. |author23=Raharivololona, B. |author24=Rajaobelina, S. |author25=Rakotoarisoa, G. |author26=Rakotomanga, B. |author27=Rakotonanahary, J. |author28=Rakotondrainibe, H. |author29=Rakotondratsimba, G. |author30=Rakotondratsimba, M. |author31=Rakotonirina, L. |author32=Ralainasolo, F.B. |author33=Ralison, J. |author34=Ramahaleo, T. |author35=Ranaivoarisoa, J.F. |author36=Randrianahaleo, S.I. |author37=Randrianambinina, B. |author38=Randrianarimanana, L. |author39=Randrianasolo, H. |author40=Randriatahina, G. |author41=Rasamimananana, H. |author42=Rasolofoharivelo, T. |author43=Rasoloharijaona, S. |author44=Ratelolahy, F. |author45=Ratsimbazafy, J. |author46=Ratsimbazafy, N. |author47=Razafindraibe, H. |author48=Razafindramanana, J. |author49=Rowe, N. |author50=Salmona, J. |author51=Seiler, M. |author52=Volampeno, S. |author53=Wright, P. |author54=Youssouf, J. |author55=Zaonarivelo, J. |author56=Zaramody, A. |date=2014 |title=''Microcebus myoxinus'' |volume=2014 |page=e.T13325A16113437 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-1.RLTS.T13325A16113437.en |access-date=19 November 2021}}</ref>
| status2 = CITES_A1
| status2_system = CITES
| status2_ref = <ref>{{cite web | url = http://checklist.cites.org/#/en/search/scientific_name=Microcebus | title = Checklist of CITES Species | website = CITES | publisher = UNEP-WCMC | access-date = 18 March 2015}}</ref>
| taxon = Microcebus myoxinus
| authority = [[Wilhelm Peters|Peters]], 1852<ref name=msw3>{{MSW3 Groves|pages=113|id=12100020}}</ref>
| range_map = Microcebus myoxinus range map.svg
| range_map_caption = Distribution of ''M. myoxinus''<ref name="iucn status 19 November 2021"/>
}}

The '''pygmy mouse lemur''' ('''''Microcebus myoxinus'''''), also known as '''Peters' mouse lemur''' or '''dormouse lemur''', is a [[primate]] weighing only {{convert|43|-|55|g|oz|abbr=on}}; it is the second smallest of the [[mouse lemur]]s.<ref name="Mittermeier">{{LoM2|pp=104–107}}</ref> Its dorsal side is a rufous-brown colour, and creamy-white ventrally. It lives in dry [[deciduous]] forests of western Madagascar. It has been captured in the Tsingy de Bemaraha Nature Reserve, the Andramasy forests north of Belo sur Tsiribihina,<ref name="iucn status 19 November 2021"/> and the border of heavily degraded deciduous forest and savanna at Aboalimena.<ref name=":1">{{cite journal |last1=Rasoloarison |first1=Rodin M. |last2=Goodman |first2=Steven M. |last3=Ganzhorn |first3=Jörg U. |title=Taxonomic Revision of Mouse Lemurs (Microcebus) in the Western Portions of Madagascar |journal=International Journal of Primatology |date=2000 |volume=21 |issue=6 |page=995|doi=10.1023/A:1005511129475 |s2cid=24593160 }}</ref> It has also been found in other habitats, in mangroves in two localities.<ref name="iucn status 19 November 2021"/>

Accounts and descriptions of this species are frequently confounded with those of ''Microcebus berthae'', the smallest primate in the world. This is because specimens of ''M. berthae'' captured in Kirindy Forest, 60&nbsp;km north of Morondava, were erroneously named ''M. myoxinus''.<ref name=":1" /> Apparently, the rufous color of ''M. berthae'' (not described at the time) matched the description by Peter<ref>{{cite book |last1=Peters |first1=W. C. H. |title=Naturwissenschaftliche Reise nach Mossambique. |date=1852 |publisher=Georg Reimer Verlag |location=Berlin}}</ref> as ''M. myoxinus''. Most articles on the web report information on ''M. myoxinus'' that correspond to studies made in Kirindy Forest on ''M. berthae''.

The behavior and ecology of ''Microcebus myoxinus'' remains to be studied in the wild.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |last1=Baden |first1=A. |display-authors=et al |title=Peters' Mouse Lemur Microcebus myoxinus |url=https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/13325/16113437 |website=iucnredlist.org |access-date=16 April 2022}}</ref>

The pygmy mouse lemur measures around {{convert|12|-|13|cm|in|abbr=on}} (head-body length).<ref name="Mittermeier" />

== Mating ==
During mating season, male pygmy mouse lemurs have a home range that is much larger than the home range of females. It was found that males would typically roam long distances at night during mating season. Males also tend to be heavier than females during the mating season compared to the rest of the year. This indicates that the testes of male pygmy mouse lemurs would grow a significant amount during the mating season. There has also been evidence of male sperm competition, seen through sperm plugs in females which indicate the importance of prevention of additional matings in females.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Schwab |first=Dorothea |date=2000 |title=A preliminary study of spatial distribution and mating system of pygmy mouse lemurs (Microcebus cf myoxinus) |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/(SICI)1098-2345(200005)51:1%3C41::AID-AJP4%3E3.0.CO;2-7 |journal=American Journal of Primatology|volume=51 |issue=1 |pages=41–60 |doi=10.1002/(SICI)1098-2345(200005)51:1<41::AID-AJP4>3.0.CO;2-7 |pmid=10811439 |via=Wiley}}</ref>

== Hibernation ==
During the dry season, pygmy mouse lemurs enter a state of inactivity to save energy. This is possible for them in natural conditions when their body temperatures are below {{cvt|28|C}}. Compared to males, female pygmy mouse lemurs are more likely to enter this type of hibernation which results in the sex ratio being skewed to one side. However, when the pygmy mouse lemurs live in areas where the temperatures are relatively higher, the sex ratio is more even. This is because higher temperatures make it difficult for the lemurs to remain in hibernation for a long time.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Ganzhorn |first1=Jörg U. |last2=Schmid |first2=Jutta |date=1998 |title=Different Population Dynamics of Microcebus murinus in Primary and Secondary Deciduous Dry Forests of Madagascar |url=https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/A:1020337211827 |journal=International Journal of Primatology |volume=19 |issue= 5|pages=785–796 |doi=10.1023/A:1020337211827 |via=Springer Link|url-access=subscription }}</ref> For those living in cooler temperatures, metabolic rates drop by about 86% compared to the normal metabolic rates.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Schmid |first1=J |last2=Ruf |first2=T |last3=Heldmaier |first3=G |date=2000 |title=Metabolism and temperature regulation during daily torpor in the smallest primate, the pygmy mouse lemur (Microcebus myoxinus) in Madagascar |url=https://link-springer-com.ezpro.cc.gettysburg.edu/article/10.1007/s003600050008 |journal=Journal of Comparative Physiology |volume=170 |pages=59–68 |doi=10.1007/s003600050008 |pmid=10707326 |via=Springer Link|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

== Genetics ==
For many years, pygmy mouse lemurs were not considered to be a different species when compared to other mouse lemurs. However, recently there have been studies that show that there are large genetic differences of the DNA. This made it evident that the pymgy mouse lemur could be classified into its own species, rather than being grouped with another species of mouse lemur. Even with these morphological differences found among the species of mouse lemurs, there is still more need for studies to be doen on the chromosome variation of all the mouse lemur species.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Rumpler |first1=Yves |last2=Ganzhorn |first2=Jorg U. |last3=Tomiuk |first3=Jurgen |last4=Leipoldt |first4=Michael |last5=Warter |first5=Stephanie |date=1998 |title=A cytogenetic study of Microcebus myoxinus |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/219359231 |journal=Folia Primatologica |volume=69 |issue=5 |pages=307–311 |doi=10.1159/000021644 |pmid=9751837 |id={{ProQuest|219359231}} |via=ProQuest|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

==References==
{{Commons and category|Microcebus myoxinus|Microcebus myoxinus}}
{{Wikispecies|Microcebus myoxinus|Pygmy mouse lemur}}
{{Reflist}}

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{{Taxonbar|from=Q243990}}

[[Category:Mouse lemurs]]
[[Category:Mammals described in 1852]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Wilhelm Peters]]