Black-and-white ruffed lemur
Amazing fact
Black-and-white ruffed lemurs carry pollen on their faces to the next tree when feeding on nectar.
Smithsonian National Zoo
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An illustration based on the real animal.
A little discovery to share.
Black-and-white ruffed lemurs carry pollen on their faces to the next tree when feeding on nectar.
THE REAL WORLD
The real Black-and-white ruffed lemur
- Scientific name
- Varecia variegata
- Japanese name
- クロシロエリマキキツネザル
- Group
- Land mammals
- Class
- Mammalia
- Order
- Primates
- Family
- Lemuridae
- Genus
- Varecia
Where the name “Black-and-white ruffed lemur” comes from
The Japanese name describes a black-and-white scarf-like ruff and a fox-like face.
上野動物園It is a primitive member of the primate group from the forests of eastern Madagascar, and it eats mainly fruit.
It spends most of its time up in the trees and keeps in touch with its group using many different calls.
It lives in groups and, unusually for a primate, builds a nest to raise its young.
How the Black-and-white ruffed lemur lives
They are active during the day, especially in the morning and late afternoon. They are thought to use smell to judge how ripe fruit is. In seasons with little fruit, they eat young leaves, flowers and nectar. A mother carries her young in her mouth when travelling with them.
Smithsonian National ZooUniversity of Michigan Animal Diversity WebBasic data
- Size
- Head and body length: 50–55 cm
- Weight
- about 3,500 g
- Diet
- Fruit, flowers, leaves, insects, and other foods
- Range
- Eastern Madagascar
Where the Black-and-white ruffed lemur has been recorded
Records: GBIF.org (CC0 and CC BY 4.0 records, retrieved 2026-11-07). Map: Natural EarthSee the records on GBIF
Watch wild animals from a distance. Do not touch or feed them, and take care of the places where they live.
Names around the world
- 简体中文
- 领狐猴
- 繁體中文
- 領狐猴
- 한국어
- 흑백목도리여우원숭이
- Español
- Lémur rufo blanco y negro
- Français
- Maki Vari
- Deutsch
- Schwarzweißer Vari
- Português (Brasil)
- Varecia-preto-e-branco
- Italiano
- Vari bianconero
- العربية
- ليمور مكشكش أبلق
- Bahasa Indonesia
- Lemur berlorek hitam-putih
- Tiếng Việt
- Vượn cáo cổ khoang đen trắng
- Русский
- Лемур вари
Names come from Wikidata and iNaturalist records. Where a language has no recorded name, we use the scientific name.
Sources and how we check
- 上野動物園 — クロシロエリマキキツネザルChecked: 2026-11-03
- University of Michigan Animal Diversity Web — Varecia variegataChecked: 2026-11-03
- Smithsonian National Zoo — Black-and-white ruffed lemurChecked: 2026-11-06
We check each fact against its source. The illustrations simplify how the real animal looks.
The classification (class, order, family, genus) follows Wikidata records, checked against GBIF. Classifications can change as research goes on.
The basic data are the values given in each source. They vary with how the animal is measured, whether it is male or female, and whether it lives in the wild or in captivity.
This page was translated from the original Japanese with the help of AI.
Report a mistakeWhen you meet the Black-and-white ruffed lemur, look for this
- Look at how the hind-foot thumb faces the other toes to grasp objects.
- Look for the bright yellow eyes, too.
Animals do different things from day to day, so you may not always see this.
上野動物園Smithsonian National ZooEXHIBIT INFORMATION
Places that keep or show the Black-and-white ruffed lemur
Zoos, aquariums and other places whose official websites say they keep or show this animal.
Displays can change with the animals’ health and the seasons. Check each facility’s official website before you go.
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