DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT
Madagascar, the Andasibe region and adjacent areas. It inhabits lowland dry tropical forests, thorny thickets and plantations.
BEHAVIOUR
It is a nocturnal animal. It spends the day sleeping, hiding in tree holes. Males sleep alone or in pairs, separately from females, which gather in groups of a dozen or so individuals.
DIET
Mainly insectivorous. The diet includes beetles, moths and praying mantises. In addition to insects, it feeds on fruits, flowers, nectar, and small vertebrates such as geckos, tree frogs and chameleons.
REPRODUCTION
The breeding season lasts in early spring. Then males call to females with a hoarse voice. Pregnancy lasts 2–3 months, after which females give birth to one or two young.
GOOD TO KNOW
One of the smallest primates. The body length is approx. 9 cm, the tail length is approx. 10 cm; body weight 45–48 g. It has a tooth comb used for combing the fur. The ability to store fat in the tail allows for a short-term slowdown of the metabolism called torpor.
- Latin name:Erethizon dorsatum: Microcebus lehilahytsara
- IUCN Red List – NT – near threatened
- CITES – Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, appendix I
- EEP (European Endangered Species Programme)



