mid-range, the common brown lemur E. fulvus; and in its southern range, the red-fronted brown lemur E. rufus and the gray-headed lemur E. cinereiceps. E. rubriventer is, however, easily distinguished from these relatives by the male's distinctive white eye "tear drops" and the rich darkness of the fur of both sexes. A distinction of appearance occurs within E. rubriventer in that northern range males (e.g. Mantadia National Park north) have a more distinctive reddish belly than the southern range counterparts, as in Ranomafana National Park. The forest type within the red-bellied lemur's range is characterized by dense evergreen vegetation, with a canopy of . Typical canopy genera include Dalbergia, Diospyros, Ocotea, Symphonia, and Tambourissa; emergents of Canarium, Albizia and Brochoneura acuminata are also present. The eastern lowland forests also have a rich diversity of Pandanus, bamboo, and epiphytic orchid species. Behaviour The red-bellied lemur aggregates in monogamous groups ranging from two to 10 individuals. It is one of the few lemurs to be recognized as cathemeral, having both diurnal and nocturnal activity patterns. The home range is estimated to be 25 to 35 acres (10 to 14 ha) with a typical density of five animals per acre. Groups are typically cohesive as they move within their home range, foraging on over 30 species of plants. Considered by some to be a frugivore, it also feeds on leaves, nectar, and flowers of many plant species; this lemur is believed to be a useful and efficient seed disperser. A typical and maximum frequency of births is one offspring per female per year, with initial year infant mortality around 50%. Births normally occur in October and November (early summer in this Southern Hemisphere habitat). The young use their prehensile instincts to attach to the mother and father alternately for the first 33 to 37 days of life. At this point, the mother often refuses further transport services, whilst the father may continue to provide such for another 9 weeks. Conservation Modern feeding habits have expanded the species' diet to the introduced "Chinese" (actually Brazilian) guava (Psidium cattleyanum). Groups of the red-bellied lemur have become somewhat habituated to humans along certain trail areas in Ramomafana National Park (around Belle Vue) starting in May and June, and much rarer in some lower trail areas of Montadia National Park starting in April. In both instances, the species exhibits a tame behaviour to approaching humans who are