Gray, 1863
General characteristics
The genus Varecia comprises only one species: Varecia variegata, which is often placed within the genus Lemur (Lemur variegata). However, Varecia variegata differs from this genus distinctly by numerous characters, so the separation from the Lemur group seems well justified.
Varecia variegata lives only in the East of Madagascar, where several varieties can be distinguished. It has thick fur and a longhaired crown around the face.
Varecia is monotypic and is twice as long as Eulemur species. It is a firm lemur, with a longer skull than Eulemur, and with less specialized molars. It appears to move along with a heavy stride, but yet has a great agility when jumping in the high branches.
Females have three pairs of mammae and carry two or three young that are at birth less developed than the young of Lemur and Eulemur. The mother puts them down on a branch or in an epiphytic plant. If necessary, she carries the young in her mouth, because they can not hold on to the fur of the parents like the young of Lemur and Eulemur can.
Varecia has diurnal and crepuscular habits and generally lives in small family groups of three to four individuals. Similar as Lemur and Eulemur, they prefer fruit.
Some of their calls are very loud, with a varying roaring tone that can be heard from deep in the forest.
Together with Propithecus diadema, Varecia is the most endangered eastern lemur. They are hunted everywhere for their meat, which is much appreciated. Therefore among other reasons, the species is vanishing rapidly.
Systematics
Long time ago , the important color variations of the species have been recorded. Audebert, 1799 and I. Geoffroy, 1851 described three forms. E. Geoffroy, 1812; Gray, 1870; Forbes, 1894 and Hill, 1953 have distinguished four forms. Milne-Edwards and Grandidier, 1890 published plates of six varieties.
Except for a form with red limbs and an almost complete red back, all Varecia variegata have a black head, tail, belly, and limb extremities.
Study of collection material and field observations makes it possible to distinguish at least four forms, being more than the four forms and their variations identified by Hill, 1953. It is therefore difficult to tell for certain forms (that have not been described yet) whether it concerns just plain individual variation.
In fact, the distinction between these forms is limited by the actual knowledge, and we do not know exactly how to interpret their appearance.
Indeed, only little exact information is available on the origin of the specimens corresponding with each of the variations. In addition to this, we have no information at all on the livery of Varecia that occurs in the less visited and vast areas of the eastern forests. Actually, sampling alone is not a good research goal and field observations of often timid animals that stay high between the leaves, give only little information about the color of the back.
Varecia occurs in the major parts of the forest in the East (Map Varecia variegata) of Madagascar.
According to Lindsay, 1977, the relative robust Varecia adapts rather easily to captivity, even under climatic circumstances that differ from their natural habitat. They can stay outside in full air for the better part of the year. It is one of the most frequently captive-bred lemurs.