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Primate Taxonomy

Page 30

30) Related to the lemurs are the sifaka. The largest of the prosimians, they are excellent climbers and leapers. They eat mainly fruit and leaves. They spend most of their time in the trees -- when they come down to the ground they run bipedally, on two legs not four.

Notes: A sifaka hanging upside-down feeds in a tree.
Scientific name: Propithecus verreauxi
sifaka -- sih-FAHK-ah
Notice how long this animal's legs are in comparison to its body. It moves in the trees by leaping, feet first, from one tree to the next.
Photo © by: David Haring

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