The gray mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus) as a model for early primate brain evolution.

Abstract

The gray mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus), one of the world's smallest primates, is thought to share a similar ecological niche and many anatomical traits with early euprimates. As a result, it has been considered a suitable model system for early primate physiology and behavior. Moreover, recent studies have demonstrated that mouse lemurs have comparable cognitive abilities and cortical functional organization as haplorhines. Finally, the small brain size of mouse lemurs provides us with actual lower limits for miniaturization of functional brain circuits within the primate clade. Considering its phylogenetic positionand early primate-like traits, the mouse lemurs are a perfect model species to study the early evolution of primate brains.