Discovered and officially named in 2006, this species is part of a rapidly growing list of mouse lemurs that continue to be identified as scientists uncover more about Madagascar’s dense and cryptic biodiversity. Like all mouse lemurs, Claire’s mouse lemur is small, elusive, and tree-dwelling, making it a true gem of the island’s unique wildlife.

Claire’s mouse lemur has a round head, large, dark eyes suited for night vision, and soft fur that is typically brownish or reddish on the back with a lighter underbelly. Its tail is long and slightly bushy, helping it maintain balance as it leaps through the forest canopy at night.

Like its relatives, Claire’s mouse lemur is nocturnal and arboreal, spending its nights foraging in the trees and its days sleeping in tree holes or leafy nests. Its diet is omnivorous, consisting of fruits, flowers, insects, nectar, and small vertebrates. Its ability to eat a wide range of foods helps it survive seasonal changes in food availability.

Claire’s mouse lemur was discovered in eastern Madagascar, and like many mouse lemurs, it has a very limited range, meaning it lives only in a specific type of forest. In this case, it is found in humid evergreen rainforests, a habitat type that is rapidly disappearing due to slash-and-burn agriculture, logging, and human settlement.

One fascinating thing about this species—and mouse lemurs in general—is that many of them look almost identical to one another, making it difficult to tell them apart by appearance alone. Claire’s mouse lemur was distinguished primarily through genetic analysis, which revealed that it was a distinct species separate from other nearby mouse lemur populations, despite looking very similar. This discovery underscores how much hidden diversity remains in Madagascar’s forests.

Distribution

Country

Population est.

Status

Year

Comments

Madagascar

EN

2018