Primates endemic to Madagascar and the Comoro Islands, characterized by large eyes and long tails. They represent some of the most ancient primate lineages.
From Latin 'lemures', meaning 'ghosts of the dead' in Roman mythology. Carl Linnaeus chose this name in 1758 because of lemurs' nocturnal habits, large reflective eyes, and eerie calls that reminded him of wandering spirits.
Named after Roman ghosts because of their haunting nighttime calls and glowing eyes, lemurs are evolutionary time capsules - they've been isolated on Madagascar for 60 million years. Their name reflects how early scientists often drew on classical mythology when encountering mysterious new creatures.
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