Which primates, whose name is derived from the Latin for 'spirits of the dead', are endemic to Madagascar and surrounding islands?
Lemur Lemur Lemurs ( ) are a clade of strepsirrhine primates endemic to the island of Madagascar. The word "lemur" derives from the word "lemures" (ghosts or spirits) from Roman mythology and was first used to describe a slender loris due to its nocturnal habits and slow pace, but was later applied to the primates on Madagascar. As with other strepsirrhine primates, such as lorises, pottos, and galagos (bush babies), lemurs share resemblance with basal primates. In this regard, lemurs are often confused with ancestral primates, when in actuality, lemurs did not give rise to monkeys and apes, but evolved independently.
Endemic birds of Madagascar and western Indian Ocean islands the region (M indicating a genus endemic to Madagascar): In addition in the following genera, high proportions of the member species are endemic to Madagascar: BirdLife International has defined a number of Endemic Bird Areas and Secondary Areas in Madagascar and the western Indian Ocean islands. The following is a list of species endemic to Madagascar. Note that: The following is a list of species endemic to other islands. There are native Madagascar turtle doves in the Aldabra group (separate races from those found on Madagascar); they may represent a separate species. The following is a list of species which