Megaladapis

Megaladapis grandidieri in the fund Grandidier

Megaladapis, sometimes referred to as the German " Koala lemurs ", is a genus of extinct primates of Madagascar years before 500. They are the most well-known representative of the giant lemurs, their closest living relatives are the lemurs.

Description and probable lifestyle

With a weight of 40 to 80 kg and a body length of up to 1.50 meters Megaladapis was the largest Malagasy primate species after Archaeoindris. Her skull had some unusual features, the muzzle was greatly extended and "tipped " the face upward. Bone formations above the nostril indicate that the snout was very mobile. In the upper jaw they had no incisors, probably they had instead a horny plate as some ruminants. The molars had cusps and complex were unusually large.

The feet and the hands were greatly extended and facilitated a strong grip on the branches. However, the arms and legs were relatively short, but very strong and slightly bent, the front legs were longer than the hind legs. Despite its weight, this giant lemurs were well adapted to life in trees. Because the physique one suspects that Megaladapis resembled the Koala in locomotion and lifestyle. With all four legs, she clutched tree trunks or large branches and kept moving slowly climbing or short bouncer. On the ground, they could only move slow and cumbersome but probably. Megaladapis has probably fed on leaves, which they carried to the mouth with hands.

The extinction

The bones found were 2850-600 years old. About the reasons of extinction of these giant lemurs has been much speculation. All is well with the colonization of Madagascar in conjunction, the Malay immigrants cleared most of the forests and hunted the giant animals that lived so far without natural enemies. Climatic changes are brought into play, at this time, there was a drought and so the decline of forests, which decimated the populations, so that they could no longer withstand the pressure of the new immigrants. In general, large, living on islands animals to human hunting are especially vulnerable because on the one hand often propagate very slowly, and pose of meat coveted hunting objects to another through lack of fear of the people and the large amount. Also about a deadly plague that einschleppten the people or the animals they brought with them to the island has been speculated. About 500 years ago Megaladapis likely to be extinct, however, there is a report on a gigantic primate of the 17th century, but could apply to any representative of the giant lemurs.

System

There were three types:

• Megaladapis edwardsi was the largest species and is known from southern Madagascar. Maybe the kind spent more time on the ground than the other representative of its kind.
• Megaladapis grandidieri has been recognized in the central and northern part of the island.
• From Megaladapis madagascariensis subfossil remains in southwest and north of Madagascar was found.

Megaladapis is classified in its own family, Megaladapidae, their closest relatives are the small, still living lemurs ( Lepilemur ), which share some characteristics such as the absence of the upper incisors and are sometimes classified in the same family.