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What the sources say

Aye-AyeDaubentonia madagascariensis

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Aye-Aye profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 47 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

Profile updated

Source
01

Duke Lemur Center

Aye-aye. Duke Lemur Center.

The page saysNocturnal lemur
The source saysSocial structure: solitary, nocturnal foragerNote: tagline; Duke calls its aye-ayes 'these rare and amazing lemurs'
The page sayshuge ears
The source saysCupping their huge ears forward, the aye-aye listens intently to the echoing sounds coming from the tapped treeNote: tagline
The page saysever-growing incisors
The source saysincisors that are continually growing (unique among primates)Note: tagline; ADW's own phrase is 'large and ever-growing'
The page saysskeletal-looking middle finger that finds grubs by tapping
The source saysa middle finger which is skeletal in appearance ... the animals have evolved a specialized method for locating the larvae, called tap foragingNote: tagline
The page saysalong Madagascar's east coast and in its northwestern forests
The source saysdistributed along the east coast and in the northwestern forests of Madagascar
The page saysAlmost entirely invertebrates, especially insect larvae living inside trees, with some nuts and seeds
The source saysThe aye-aye's diet is highly specialized, consisting almost entirely of invertebrates with some nuts and seeds ... a significant percentage of an aye-aye's diet consists of insect larvae that dwell inside dead or living trees
The page saysknown to raid coconut, lychee, and mango plantations
The source saysThe animals are also known to raid coconut, lychee, and mango plantations
The page saysTap foraging: it taps wood rapidly with its middle finger, listens for the echo of an insect tunnel, then hooks the larva out with that slender, flexible finger
The source saysAs they walk along a branch, the animals continuously and rapidly tap it with their middle finger. Cupping their huge ears forward, the aye-aye listens intently to the echoing sounds coming from the tapped tree. When the sound indicates they are above an insect tunnel ... the aye-aye inserts its slender and highly flexible third finger into the hole, and when the prey is located, it is hooked with the tip of the finger and removedNote: third finger = middle finger
The page saysAye-ayes are nocturnal, solitary foragers who spend up to 80% of the night feeding and traveling through the forest canopy
The source saysAye-ayes are nocturnal, solitary foragers who spend up to 80% of the night feeding and traveling through the forest canopy
The page saysA significant share of their diet is insect larvae (grubs) living inside dead or living trees, and they have evolved a specialized way of finding them, called tap foraging
The source saysa significant percentage of an aye-aye's diet consists of insect larvae that dwell inside dead or living trees, the animals have evolved a specialized method for locating the larvae, called tap foraging
The page saysWalking along a branch, an aye-aye taps the wood continuously and rapidly with its middle finger
The source saysAs they walk along a branch, the animals continuously and rapidly tap it with their middle finger
The page saysIt cups its huge ears forward and listens closely to the echoes coming from the tapped tree
The source saysCupping their huge ears forward, the aye-aye listens intently to the echoing sounds coming from the tapped tree
The page saysWhen the sound shows it is above an insect tunnel, the aye-aye tears off enormous chunks of bark with its teeth
The source saysWhen the sound indicates they are above an insect tunnel, the animals begin to tear off enormous chunks of the outer bark with their impressive teethNote: 'impressive teeth' shortened to 'teeth'; 'outer bark' to 'bark'
The page saysThen it slides that slender, highly flexible finger into the hole and hooks the grub out with the fingertip
The source saysthe aye-aye inserts its slender and highly flexible third finger into the hole, and when the prey is located, it is hooked with the tip of the finger and removed
The page saysAye-ayes are the world's largest nocturnal primate, at around 38 centimetres long, with a fluffy tail that is longer than their bodies
The source saysThey are the world's largest nocturnal primate at around 15 inches long (38 cm) with a fluffy tail that is longer than their bodies
The page saysAn adult weighs 2.5 to 2.8 kilograms
The source saysAdult size: 5.5 - 6.2 lbs. (2.5 - 2.8 kg)Note: Duke (current) preferred over ADW 2570-2615 g and AnAge 2,278 g
The page saysTheir fingers are long, and the third finger is thinner than the others
The source saysTheir fingers are long and their third finger is thinner than the others
The page saysAn aye-aye's incisors (front teeth) are continually growing, which the Duke Lemur Center calls unique among primates
The source saysincisors that are continually growing (unique among primates)
The page saysThe Duke Lemur Center describes the aye-aye's diet as highly specialized, made up almost entirely of invertebrates with some nuts and seeds
The source saysThe aye-aye's diet is highly specialized, consisting almost entirely of invertebrates with some nuts and seeds
The page saysAye-ayes are also known to raid coconut, lychee and mango plantations
The source saysThe animals are also known to raid coconut, lychee, and mango plantations
The page saysThey live along Madagascar's east coast and in its northwestern forests
The source saysdistributed along the east coast and in the northwestern forests of Madagascar
The page saysThe aye-aye's population is not dense, so seeing one in the wild is incredibly rare
The source saysas the population is not dense, seeing one in the wild remains incredibly rare
The page saysThe main threats to its survival are habitat loss and hunting
The source saysThe main threats to the survival of the aye-aye are loss of habitat and hunting pressure
The page saysIts bizarre appearance has traditionally led many villagers to regard the aye-aye as an evil omen, or fady, that must be killed on sight to avoid bringing bad luck onto an entire village
The source saystheir bizarre appearance has traditionally led many villagers to regard the animal as an evil omen, or fady , which must be killed on sight to avoid bringing bad luck onto an entire village
The page saysAye-ayes are also sometimes killed as crop-threatening pests in agricultural areas
The source saysaye-ayes are sometimes killed as crop-threatening pests in agricultural areas
The page saysBy tapping. Walking along a branch, the aye-aye taps the wood continuously and rapidly with its middle finger, then cups its huge ears forward and listens to the echoes
The source saysAs they walk along a branch, the animals continuously and rapidly tap it with their middle finger. Cupping their huge ears forward, the aye-aye listens intently to the echoing sounds coming from the tapped tree
The page saysWhen the sound shows it is above an insect tunnel, it tears off chunks of bark with its teeth, slides its slender, flexible third finger into the hole and hooks the larva out with the fingertip
The source saysWhen the sound indicates they are above an insect tunnel, the animals begin to tear off enormous chunks of the outer bark with their impressive teeth. Then the aye-aye inserts its slender and highly flexible third finger into the hole, and when the prey is located, it is hooked with the tip of the finger and removed
The page saysYes. An aye-aye's incisors (front teeth) are continually growing, which the Duke Lemur Center calls unique among primates
The source saysincisors that are continually growing (unique among primates)
The page saysWhen tapping finds an insect tunnel, the aye-aye uses its teeth to tear off enormous chunks of bark
The source saysWhen the sound indicates they are above an insect tunnel, the animals begin to tear off enormous chunks of the outer bark with their impressive teeth
The page saysTheir bizarre appearance has traditionally led many villagers to regard the aye-aye as an evil omen, or fady, that must be killed on sight to avoid bringing bad luck onto an entire village
The source saystheir bizarre appearance has traditionally led many villagers to regard the animal as an evil omen, or fady , which must be killed on sight to avoid bringing bad luck onto an entire village
The page saysAye-ayes are also sometimes killed as crop-threatening pests in agricultural areas
The source saysaye-ayes are sometimes killed as crop-threatening pests in agricultural areas

Source
02

Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan

Daubentonia madagascariensis (aye-aye). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

The page saysRainforest, deciduous forest, and cultivated plantations
The source saysprimary and secondary rainforest, deciduous forest, cultivated plantations
The page saysonly their front surface has a coat of enamel
The source saysThe incisors are large and ever-growing, with enamel coating only the anterior surfaceNote: anterior = front; 'hard' is the definition of enamel, not a claim
The page saysin rainforest, deciduous forest and cultivated plantations
The source saysprimary and secondary rainforest, deciduous forest, cultivated plantations

Source
03

Sterling et al. 1994

Sterling et al. (1994). Dietary Intake, Food Composition and Nutrient Intake in Wild and Captive Populations of Daubentonia madagascariensis. Folia Primatologica.

The page saysA study published in 1994 found that one wild population ate four main food types: seeds, nectar, fungus and insect larvae
The source saysData are presented on dietary and nutrient intake in a wild population of aye-ayes. Study animals ate 4 main food types: seeds, nectar, fungus and insect larvaeNote: abstract only; scoped to the one studied population; the year is the reference's publication year

Source
04

Soligo 2005

Soligo (2005). Anatomy of the Hand and Arm in Daubentonia madagascariensis: A Functional and Phylogenetic Outlook. Folia Primatologica.

The page saysAccording to a 2005 anatomy study, this middle finger is no longer used for moving around
The source saysThe specialised middle finger is no longer used in locomotionNote: abstract only; 2005 is the reference's publication year
The page saysIt works as a probe for finding and pulling out wood-boring larvae, and its phalanges (finger bones) can move both at great speed and independently of each other
The source saysserves as a probe-like instrument for investigating, locating and extracting xylophagous (wood-boring) larvae as well as other food items. Its phalanges can be moved both at great speed and independently of each otherNote: abstract only

Source
05

Melin et al. 2012

Melin et al. (2012). Why Aye-Ayes See Blue. American Journal of Primatology.

The page saysSome nocturnal primates are colorblind because a gene for a light-sensing pigment, called SWS1, has stopped working
The source saysSome species are colorblind, having lost the functionality of their short-wavelength-sensitive-1 (SWS1) opsin pigment gene
The page saysIn the aye-aye that gene is intact
The source saysIn other species, such as the aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis), the SWS1 gene remains intact
The page saysits pigment is most sensitive to light with a wavelength of 406 nanometres, closer to ultraviolet than in most primates
The source saysthe pigment has a peak sensitivity (lambda(max)) of 406 nm, which is -20 nm closer to the ultraviolet region of the spectrum than in most primatesNote: keeps the comparison, not the ~20 nm magnitude
The page saysA 2012 study reported that twilight is rich in bluish light, and that twilight and full moonlight are probably bright enough for color vision
The source saysreport that twilight is enriched in short-wavelength (bluish) light. We also show that the intensity of twilight and full moonlight is probably sufficient to support cone-mediated color visionNote: the year is the reference's publication year
The page saysThe researchers speculate that the gene is an adaptation for twilight, and point to possible blue targets such as scent marks and the brilliant blue arils (seed coverings) of the Ravenala plant
The source saysWe speculate that the intact SWS1 opsin pigment gene of aye-ayes is a crepuscular adaptation and we report on the blueness of potential visual targets, such as scent marks and the brilliant blue arils of Ravenala madagascariensisNote: crepuscular = twilight
The page saysPossibly, at twilight or under a full moon
The source saysthe intensity of twilight and full moonlight is probably sufficient to support cone-mediated color vision
The page saysSome nocturnal primates are colorblind, but the aye-aye's SWS1 pigment gene is intact, with peak sensitivity at 406 nanometres, closer to ultraviolet than in most primates
The source saysSome species are colorblind, having lost the functionality of their short-wavelength-sensitive-1 (SWS1) opsin pigment gene. In other species, such as the aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis), the SWS1 gene remains intact ... the pigment has a peak sensitivity (lambda(max)) of 406 nm, which is -20 nm closer to the ultraviolet region of the spectrum than in most primates
The page saysA 2012 study found that twilight and full moonlight are probably bright enough to support color vision
The source saysthe intensity of twilight and full moonlight is probably sufficient to support cone-mediated color visionNote: the year is the reference's publication year

Source
06

AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database, Build 15 2023

Daubentonia madagascariensis. AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database, Build 15, 2023.

The page saysThe AnAge longevity database lists a maximum lifespan of 32.3 years, for a captive aye-aye reported by the Duke Lemur Center
The source saysMaximum longevity 32.3 years (captivity) ... The Duke Lemur center reported a captive specimen aged 32.3 yearsNote: AnAge Build 15 (2023); Duke page states no longevity

Source
07

Louis et al. 2020

Louis et al. (2020). Daubentonia madagascariensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T6302A115560793.

The page saysThe IUCN Red List assesses the species as Endangered
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Endangered (EN)Note: read through GBIF's copy of the Red List per docs/fact-check.md

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.