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Lemurs share resemblance with other [[primate]]s, but evolved independently from [[monkey]]s and [[ape]]s. Due to Madagascar's highly seasonal climate, [[Evolution of lemurs|lemur evolution]] has produced a level of [[species diversity]] rivaling that of any other primate group. Until shortly after humans arrived on the island around 2,000 years ago, there were lemurs as large as a male [[gorilla]]. Most species have been discovered or promoted to full species status since the 1990s; however, lemur [[Taxonomy (biology)|taxonomic classification]] is controversial and depends on which [[Species problem|species concept]] is used.
Lemurs range in weight from the {{convert|30|g|oz|adj=on}} [[mouse lemur]] to the {{convert|9|kg|lb|adj=on}} [[indri]]. Lemurs share many common basal primate traits, such as divergent [[digit (anatomy)|digits]] on their hands and feet, and [[nail (anatomy)|nails]] instead of [[claw]]s (in most species). However, their [[Brain-to-body mass ratio|brain-to-body size ratio]] is smaller than that of [[Anthropoidea|anthropoid]] primates. As with all [[strepsirrhine]] primates, they have a "wet nose" ([[rhinarium]]). Lemurs are generally the most social of the strepsirrhine primates, and communicate more with scents and vocalizations than with visual signals. Lemurs have a relatively low [[basal metabolic rate]], and as a result may exhibit [[dormancy]] such as [[hibernation]] or [[torpor]]
Lemur research during the 18th and 19th centuries focused on taxonomy and specimen collection. Modern studies of lemur ecology and behavior did not begin in earnest until the 1950s and 1960s. Initially hindered by political issues on Madagascar during the mid-1970s, field studies resumed in the 1980s. Lemurs are important for research because their mix of ancestral characteristics and traits shared with anthropoid primates can yield insights on primate and [[human evolution]]. Many lemur species remain endangered due to habitat loss and hunting. Many lemur species have already gone extinct in the last 2000 years due to human activity, and are collectively referred to as the "[[subfossil lemur]]s". These are typically larger than extant lemurs, with the largest, ''[[Archaeoindris]]'', being the size of a gorilla. Although local traditions, such as [[Fady (taboo)|fady]], generally help protect lemurs and their forests, [[Illegal logging in Madagascar|illegal logging]], economic privation and political instability conspire to thwart conservation efforts. Because of these threats and their declining numbers, the [[International Union for Conservation of Nature]] (IUCN) considers lemurs to be the world's most endangered mammals, noting that {{as of|2013|lc=y}} up to 90% of all lemur species confront the threat of extinction in the wild within the next 20 to 25 years. As an iconic [[flagship species]] that exemplifies the biodiverse fauna of Madagascar, however, lemurs have facilitated the emergence of [[Ecotourism|eco-tourism]] in Madagascar in [[World Heritage Site|World Heritage Sites]], such as the [[Rainforests of the Atsinanana]] in eastern Madagascar. In addition, conservation organizations, such as the [[Lemur Conservation Foundation]] and the [[Duke Lemur Center]], increasingly seek to implement community-based approaches, such as encouraging local communities to adopt [[sustainable agriculture]] and [[afforestation]] initiatives, to expand employment opportunities for ecological programs, preserve lemur habitats as well as promote public awareness and appreciation for lemurs.
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