Aye-aye: Difference between revisions
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[[Image:Aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) 4.jpg|right|thumb|350px|{{#ifexist:Template:Aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) 4.jpg/credit|{{Aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) 4.jpg/credit}}<br/>|}}Photo by Tom Junek.]] | [[Image:Aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) 4.jpg|right|thumb|350px|{{#ifexist:Template:Aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) 4.jpg/credit|{{Aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) 4.jpg/credit}}<br/>|}}Photo by Tom Junek.]] | ||
Revision as of 11:41, 20 March 2008
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The Aye-aye is the sole living member of the family Daubentoniidae. They are found only in Madagascar and are the largest nocturnal primate. Like many primates today, their survival is threatened by loss of habitat and human predation.
Physical Characteristics
The physical appearance of Aye-ayes is extremely unique. They are about the size of a cat and have large ears and long, bushy tails. Their digits are also elongated, especially the middle fingers.
Their appearance is so strange that the people of Madagascar are afraid of them and consider them to be a bad omen.
Habitat
Aye-ayes live in forests in Madagascar.
Diet
Aye-ayes use their especially long middle fingers to forage for food. They will use their elongated finger to tap on things like wood and then use their large ears to listen to the sound the wood makes in order to find hollow spots where larvae live. They will then use their long incisors to tear a hole in the wood and fish out the larvae with their middle finger. Aye-ayes eat mainly larvae, nuts, and fiberous fruits such as coconuts and mangoes.
Behavior
Aye-ayes become sexally reproductive around 2-3 years old.
Classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Suborder: Prosimii
Family: Daubentoniidae
Genus: Daubentonia
Species: madagascariensis