{
  "id": 3043863,
  "title": "Diet and feeding strategies of two sympatric mouse lemurs (Microcebus) in the xeric forests of Andohahela, southeastern Madagascar",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/24/diet-and-feeding-strategies-of-two-sympatric-mouse-lemurs-microcebus",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-24T00:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "bioRxiv",
    "slug": "biorxiv",
    "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.22.746410v1?rss=1"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the xeric forests of Andohahela, southeastern Madagascar, two closely related mouse lemur species, Microcebus murinus and M. griseorufus, coexist despite the harsh, unpredictable seasonal conditions. To understand how these sympatric species manage to share their habitat, a study was conducted focusing on their feeding ecology. Researchers collected data through direct behavioral observations, fecal sample analyses, and vegetation phenology surveys, examining a wide range of dietary components.\n\nDuring the dry season, both mouse lemur species showed a strong preference for exudates, while in the wet season, their diets expanded to include more fruits and flowers. This seasonal shift in resource use was closely tied to the phenological patterns of the vegetation in the area. While both species primarily relied on plant resources for sustenance, there were distinct differences in their dietary strategies. M. murinus increased its consumption of high-sugar, carbohydrate-rich floral resources and hemipteran-associated honeydew during the wet season, with these components making up 15.9% and 30.6% of its diet, respectively. On the other hand, M. griseorufus continued to rely more consistently on exudates throughout the year, showing less variability in its dietary choices.\n\nFecal sample analyses corroborated the observational data but also highlighted some differences in the detectability of dietary components. The wet season saw an increased presence of invertebrates in the fecal samples of both species, while seeds became more prominent in the dry season. These findings demonstrate that while there is significant dietary overlap between the two mouse lemur species, they consistently differ in their resource use. This subtle but persistent division in feeding strategy allows them to coexist within a broadly shared omnivorous niche, reducing competitive overlap and ensuring their continued presence in the challenging, resource-limited environment of the xeric forests in Andohahela National Park.",
  "summary": "Understanding how closely related species coexist in highly seasonal and unpredictable environments is central to studies of ecological differentiation and niche partitioning. We investigated the feeding ecology of sympatric populations of Microcebus murinus and M. griseorufus within a contact zone in Andohahela National Park, southeastern Madagascar, across dry and wet seasons. Using a…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}