Prosimians

Cheirogaleidae is a family of primates with 5 genera and 21 species of dwarf and mouse lemurs. These species are known to be the world’s smallest primates, usually only 12–27 centimeters long. Like many other lemurs, the Cheirogaleidae family’s species are endemic to the island of Madagascar; they typically can only be found in forested regions of the country.

Indriidae is a family of primates that includes 3 genera and 18 species of lemurs. Known to be herbivorous, these species reside in the tropical forests of Madagascar exclusively. Unfortunately, all of the Indriidae primates are threatened by the IUCN, with an overwhelming majority of them put under the categories of “Endangered” or “Critically Endangered”.

Lemuridae is a primate family comprising 5 genera and 21 species; they can only be found in the forests of Madagascar and the Comoros Islands. Anatomically, these species possess relatively long limbs and soft tufts of fur on their ears. It should also be noted that the ring-tailed lemur, possibly the most easily recognizable lemur species, is taxonomically classified under Lemuridae (the only member of the Lemur genus).

Lepilemuridae is a family of sportive lemurs with just 1 genus of 24 species; they are all endemic to Madagascar. These nocturnal primates are herbivores, with their diets primarily consisting of leaves, flowers, and fruit. Unfortunately, many of the species of Lepilemuridae are facing endangerment due to excessive hunting and habitat loss.

Daubentoniidae is a primate family of just 1 genus and 1 living species: the aye-aye. This species is known to be an omnivore, with its diet typically consisting of insect larvae, eggs, and fruits. It is worth noting that there is an extinct species known as the “giant aye-aye” that is also classified under the Daubentoniidae family; its fossils suggest that its weight was about 2.5 to 5 times greater than the weight of an average aye aye.

Galagidae is a family of primates that is comprised of 6 genera and 19 living species; collectively, these animals are commonly referred to as “galagos“, “bushbabies” or “nagapies“. Compared to other species within the Lorisoidea superfamily, the Galagos are unique in that their hindlegs are much longer than their forelegs and are much lighter in average body weight. It is also worth noting that the species of Galagidae are known to rapidly jump from tree to tree, making leaps almost 40 feet in length.

Lorisidae is a primate family comprising 4 genera and 15 species divided into three main types: loris, pottos, and angwantibos. Loris is typically found in the forests of Southeast Asia (in countries such as Thailand, India, Sri Lanka, and more). On the other hand, pottos and angwantibos are spread across West Africa, primarily residing in the forests of Nigeria, the the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and other neighboring nations.

Tarsiidae is a family of primates known as “tarsiers“; it has 3 genera and 14 species. Despite being relatively tiny in terms of size (typically only weighing about 2.8 to 5.3 ounces), analyses of the tarsier genome found that from an evolutionary standpoint, these species are more closely related to monkeys, humans, and apes (the Simians) than they are to other Prosimians. It is also interesting to note that tarsiers are the only carnivorous primates; they feed on birds, lizards, insects, and other relatively small animals.