Madagascar's lemurs use millipedes for their tummy troubles

Madagascar's lemurs use millipedes for their tummy troubles

6 years ago
Anonymous $oIHRkISgaL

https://phys.org/news/2018-07-madagascar-lemurs-millipedes-tummy.html

Peckre and her colleagues observed five groups of red-fronted lemurs (Eulemur rufifrons) in Kirindy Forest on the African island of Madagascar. During several observations they noted that six animals in the groups were chewing on millipedes (likely Sechelleptus). These millipedes had emerged a few hours after the first heavy rain of the season. The chewing produced copious amounts of an orange-coloured substance which the researchers assumed was a mixture of saliva and millipede secretions. The animals then rubbed the area around their genitals, anuses and tails with the chomped millipedes. Quite a few millipedes were also swallowed after much chewing.

"Self-anointment combined with eating millipede secretions may be a way of self-medication by red-fronted lemurs," says Peckre.