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. 2017 Jun 6;206(2):651–664. doi: 10.1534/genetics.116.199448

Figure 3.

Figure 3

Field study of mouse lemurs. (A) Geographical distribution of mouse lemurs in Madagascar (off east coast of mainland Africa, boxed in inset) and major field study sites (filled ○). Capital city Antananarivo (○) is located centrally, inland from coastal forested areas (green shading). The approximate distribution of 11 of the >20 described species of mouse lemurs is shown by color outlines as indicated in the legend; most species are “microendemic” to a region delimited by rivers, mountains, or elevation gradients. Field study sites include: RNP (rain forest), Kirindy Mitea National Park (dry deciduous forest), Ankarafantsika Nature Reserve (dry tropical forest), Andohahela National Park (spiny forest), and Beza Mahafaly Reserve (gallery forest). (B) Aerial view of CVB research station at RNP, established by Patricia Wright and colleagues in 1991 (RNP) and 2003 (CVB). The state-of-the art interdisciplinary research station (http://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/centre-valbio/) focuses on the unique flora and fauna of the surrounding rain forest, and includes a full molecular and cell biology laboratory and conference center where ecologists and conservation biologists interact with genetics, health, and engineering experts as well as educators and artists. (C) A brown mouse lemur, M. rufus, foraging at night near CVB. Mouse lemurs are nocturnal so field studies are done by capture and release in the evening when they awaken. (D) Field researchers inspecting an aluminum Sherman live trap baited with banana to attract mouse lemurs. (E) A captured brown mouse lemur brought back to the laboratory. An identifying microchip is implanted and the animal thoroughly examined (“deep phenotyping”) before its release back into the wild at the capture site the same evening. Individuals are studied longitudinally by periodic recapture throughout their up to 10 year life span. (F) Scientist examining mouse lemur fibroblast culture in CVB laboratory. Map data from Google (copyright 2016). Microcebus spp. geographical distributions adapted from International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species (http://www.iucnredlist.org/). Photo credits: (B) Khen Randriamamonjy, (C–E) Guy Albertelli.