View source for Aye-aye

{{short description|Species of primate}}
{{about|the lemur species|the nautical phrase|Yes and no#Aye and variants}}
{{other uses of|aiai|Aiai (disambiguation)}}
{{use dmy dates|cs1-dates=ly|date=December 2020}}
{{Speciesbox
| name                  = Aye-aye
| image                 = Wild aye aye.jpg
| status                = EN
| status_system         = IUCN3.1
| status_ref            = {{r|IUCN}}
| status2               = CITES_A1
| status2_system        = CITES
| status2_ref           = <ref name=CITES/>
| taxon                 = Daubentonia madagascariensis
| authority             = ([[Johann Friedrich Gmelin|Gmelin]], 1788)
| subdivision_ranks     = Species
| synonyms              = 
Species:
*''Daubentonia daubentonii'' <small>Shaw, 1800</small>
*''Daubentonia laniger'' <small>G. Grandidier, 1930</small>
*''Daubentonia psilodactylus'' <small>Schreber, 1800</small>
| range_map             = Daubentonia madagascariensis range map.svg
| range_map_caption     = ''D. madagascariensis'' distribution{{r|IUCN}}
}}

The '''aye-aye''' ('''''Daubentonia madagascariensis''''') is a long-fingered [[lemur]], a [[Strepsirrhini|strepsirrhine]] [[primate]] native to [[Madagascar]] with [[rodent]]-like teeth that perpetually grow<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|title = Primates Prosimiens|last1 = Petter|first1 =J. |date = 1977|journal = ORSTOM|last2 = Albignac|first2 =R. |last3 = Rumpler|first3 =Y.}}</ref> and a special thin middle finger that they can use to catch grubs and larvae out of tree trunks.

It is the world's largest [[Nocturnality|nocturnal]] primate.<ref name="nationalgeographic" /> It is characterized by its unusual method of finding food: it taps on trees to find [[Larva|grubs]], then gnaws holes in the wood using its forward-slanting incisors to create a small hole into which it inserts its narrow middle finger to pull the grubs out. This foraging method is called ''percussive foraging'', and takes up 5–41% of foraging time.<ref name="Erickson1998">{{cite journal|last1= Erickson|first1=C.J. |last2= Nowicki |first2=S. |last3= Dollar|first3=L. |last4= Goehring|first4=N. |s2cid= 27737088|title= Percussive Foraging: Stimuli for Prey Location by Aye-Ayes (''Daubentonia madagascariensis'')|journal= International Journal of Primatology|year= 1998|volume= 19|issue= 1|page= 111|doi= 10.1023/A:1020363128240}}<!--|access-date=6 May 2013--></ref><ref>{{Cite journal |title = Adaptations in the ayeaye: A review|last1 = Sterling|first1 =E.J. |date = 2006|journal = Lemurs: Ecology and Adaptations|last2 = McCreless|first2 =E.E. |publisher = Gould L, Sauther ML|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/226739621}}</ref>  The only other living mammal species known to find food in this way are the [[striped possum]] and trioks (genus ''[[Dactylopsila]]'') of northern Australia and New Guinea, which are marsupials.{{Sfn|Sterling|2003|p=1348}} From an ecological point of view, the aye-aye fills the niche of a [[woodpecker]], as it is capable of penetrating wood to extract the invertebrates within.{{Sfn|Piper|2007|p={{page needed|date=December 2020}}}}{{Sfn|Beck|2009}}

The aye-aye is the only [[Extant taxon|extant]] member of the [[genus]] ''[[Daubentonia]]'' and [[family (biology)|family]] Daubentoniidae.  It is currently classified as [[Endangered species|Endangered]] by the [[IUCN]]. A second species, ''[[Giant aye-aye|Daubentonia robusta]]'', appears to have become [[extinct]] at some point within the last 1000 years, and is known from [[subfossil]] finds.{{Sfn|Nowak|1999|pp=533–534}}

== Etymology ==
The genus ''Daubentonia'' was named after the French naturalist [[Louis-Jean-Marie Daubenton]] by his student, [[Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire]], in 1795. Initially, Geoffroy considered using the Greek name ''Scolecophagus'' ("worm-eater") in reference to its eating habits, but he decided against it because he was uncertain about the aye-aye's habits and whether other related species might eventually be discovered.{{R|2012Dunkel_et_al}}  In 1863, British zoologist [[John Edward Gray]] coined the family name Daubentoniidae.{{Sfn|Groves|2005}}

The French naturalist [[Pierre Sonnerat]] was the first to use the vernacular name "'''aye-aye'''" in 1782 when he described and illustrated the lemur, though it was also called the "'''long-fingered lemur'''" by English zoologist [[George Shaw (biologist)|George Shaw]] in 1800—a name that did not stick.  According to Sonnerat, the name "aye-aye" was a "{{Lang|fr|cri d'exclamation & d'étonnement}}" (cry of exclamation and astonishment).  However, American paleoanthropologist [[Ian Tattersall]] noted in 1982 that the name resembles the [[Malagasy language|Malagasy]] name "hai hai" or "hay hay", (also ''ahay'', {{wikt-lang|mg|aiay}}, ''haihay''<ref name="2009Blench_etal">{{cite conference |url=https://www.rogerblench.info/Language/Austronesian/Malagasy/Malagasy%20wild%20animal%20names.pdf |title=Faunal names in Malagasy: their etymologies and implications for the prehistory of the East African coast |last1=Blench |first1=Roger M. |last2=Walsh |first2=Martin |year=2009 |conference=Eleventh International Conference on Austronesian Linguistics (11 ICAL) |pages=1–31 |location=Aussois, France}}</ref>) which refers to the animal and is used around the island. According to Dunkel ''et al.'' (2012), the widespread use of the Malagasy name indicates that the name could not have come from Sonnerat. Another hypothesis proposed by Simons and Meyers (2001) is that it derives from "''heh heh''", which is Malagasy for "I don't know". If correct, then the name might have originated from Malagasy people saying "''heh heh''" to [[avoidance speech|avoid saying the name]] of a feared, magical animal.{{R|2012Dunkel_et_al}}

== Evolutionary history and taxonomy ==
Due to its [[Cladistics|derived]] [[morphology (biology)|morphological]] features, the classification of the aye-aye was debated following its discovery.  The possession of continually growing [[incisor]]s (front teeth) parallels those of [[rodent]]s, leading early naturalists to mistakenly classify the aye-aye within the mammalian order [[Rodent]]ia{{Sfn|Ankel-Simons|2007|p=257}} and as a squirrel, due to its toes, hair coloring, and tail. However, the aye-aye is also similar to felines in its head shape, eyes, ears and nostrils.<ref name=Science>{{cite journal|title=The Aye-Ayes or Cheiromys of Madagascar |journal=Science |date=3 November 1881 |volume=2 |issue=75 |pages=574–576 |doi=10.1126/science.os-2.76.574 |pmid=17791380}}{{Dead link|date=July 2023}}</ref>

The aye-aye's classification with the order Primates has been just as uncertain.  It has been considered a highly derived member of the family [[Indridae]], a [[basal (phylogenetics)|basally diverging]] branch of the [[strepsirrhine]] suborder, and of indeterminate relation to all living primates.{{Sfn|Yoder|Vilgalys|Ruvolo|1996}} In 1931, Anthony and Coupin classified the aye-aye under infraorder '''Chiromyiformes''', a sister group to the other strepsirrhines. [[Colin Groves]] upheld this classification in 2005 because he was not entirely convinced the aye-aye formed a [[clade]] with the rest of the Malagasy lemurs.{{Sfn|Groves|2005|p=121}}

However, molecular results have consistently placed ''Daubentonia'' as the most [[basal (phylogenetics)|basal]]<nowiki/>ly diverging of [[lemurs]].{{Sfn|Yoder|Vilgalys|Ruvolo|1996}}<ref name="Del Pero1995">{{cite journal|last1= Del Pero|first1=M. |last2= Crovella|first2=S. |last3= Cervella|first3=P. |last4= Ardito|first4=G. |last5= Rumpler|first5=Y. |s2cid= 25558426|title= Phylogenetic relationships among Malagasy lemurs as revealed by mitochondrial DNA sequence analysis |journal= Primates|volume= 36|issue= 3|year= 1995|pages= 431–440|doi= 10.1007/BF02382865}}</ref><ref name="Porter1995">{{cite journal|display-authors=4 |last1= Porter|first1=C.A. |last2= Sampaio|first2=I. |last3= Schneider|first3=H. |last4= Schneider|first4=M.P.C. |last5= Czelusniak|first5=J. |last6= Goodman|first6=M. |s2cid= 9509799|title= Evidence on primate phylogeny from ε-globin gene sequences and flanking regions|journal= Journal of Molecular Evolution |volume= 40|issue= 1|year= 1995|pages= 30–55|doi= 10.1007/BF00166594|pmid= 7714911|bibcode= 1995JMolE..40...30P}}</ref><ref name="Roos2004">{{cite journal|last1= Roos|first1=C. |last2= Schmitz|first2=J. |last3= Zischler|first3=H. |title= Primate jumping genes elucidate strepsirrhine phylogeny |journal= Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences |volume= 101|issue= 29|year= 2004|pages= 10650–10654|doi= 10.1073/pnas.0403852101|pmid= 15249661|pmc= 489989|bibcode= 2004PNAS..10110650R|doi-access=free }}</ref><ref name="Horvath2008">{{Cite journal |display-authors=4 |last1= Horvath |first1=J.E. |last2= Weisrock |first2=D.W. |last3= Embry |first3=S.L. |last4= Fiorentino |first4=I. |last5= Balhoff |first5=J.P. |last6= Kappeler |first6=P. |last7= Wray |first7=G.A. |last8= Willard |first8=H.F. |last9= Yoder |first9=A.D. |doi= 10.1101/gr.7265208 |title= Development and application of a phylogenomic toolkit: Resolving the evolutionary history of Madagascar's lemurs |journal= Genome Research |volume= 18 |issue= 3 |pages= 489–499 |year= 2008 |pmid= 18245770|pmc= 2259113}}</ref><ref name="Orlando2008">{{Cite journal |display-authors=4 |last1= Orlando |first1=L. |last2= Calvignac |first2=S. |last3= Schnebelen |first3=C. |last4= Douady |first4=C.J. |last5= Godfrey |first5=L.R. |last6= Hänni |first6=C. |doi= 10.1186/1471-2148-8-121 |title= DNA from extinct giant lemurs links archaeolemurids to extant indriids |journal= BMC Evolutionary Biology |volume= 8 |issue= 121 |page= 121 |year= 2008 |pmid= 18442367|pmc= 2386821 |doi-access= free |bibcode= 2008BMCEE...8..121O }}</ref><ref name="Brosius2011">{{cite journal|display-authors=4 |last1= Brosius|first1=J. |last2= Perelman|first2=P. |last3= Johnson|first3=W.E. |last4= Roos|first4=C. |last5= Seuánez|first5=H.N. |last6= Horvath|first6=J.E. |last7=Moreira|first7=M.A.M. |last8= Kessing|first8=B. |last9= Pontius|first9=J. |last10= Roelke|first10=M. |last11= Rumpler|first11=Y. |last12= Schneider|first12=M.P.C. |last13= Silva|first13=A. |last14= O'Brien|first14=S.J. |last15= Pecon-Slattery|first15=J. |title=A Molecular Phylogeny of Living Primates |journal= PLOS Genetics|volume= 7|issue= 3|year= 2011|article-number= e1001342|doi= 10.1371/journal.pgen.1001342|pmid= 21436896|pmc= 3060065|doi-access= free}}</ref><ref name="Perry2012">{{cite journal|display-authors=4 |last1= Perry|first1=G.H. |last2= Reeves|first2=D. |last3= Melsted|first3=P. |last4= Ratan|first4=A. |last5= Miller|first5=W. |last6= Michelini|first6=K. |last7= Louis|first7=E.E. |last8= Pritchard|first8=J.K. |last9= Mason|first9=C.E. |last10= Gilad|first10=Y. |title=A Genome Sequence Resource for the Aye-Aye (''Daubentonia madagascariensis''), a Nocturnal Lemur from Madagascar |journal= Genome Biology and Evolution |volume= 4|issue= 2|year= 2012|pages= 126–135|doi= 10.1093/gbe/evr132|pmid= 22155688|pmc= 3273163|doi-access= free}}</ref>  The most parsimonious explanation for this is that all lemurs are derived from a single ancestor that [[Oceanic dispersal|rafted]] from Africa to Madagascar during the [[Paleogene]].<ref name="Roos2004"/><ref name=Sellers>{{cite web |title=Primate Evolution |url=http://homepage.mac.com/wis/Personal/lectures/human-origins/PrimateEvolution.pdf |access-date=2008-10-23 |last=Sellers |first=Bill |date=2000-10-20 |publisher=University of Edinburgh |pages=13–17| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090225011846/http://homepage.mac.com/wis/Personal/lectures/human-origins/PrimateEvolution.pdf |archive-date=2009-02-25}}</ref><ref name= "Ali&Huber">{{Cite journal |last=Ali |first=J.R. |author2=Huber, M. |s2cid=4333977 |title=Mammalian biodiversity on Madagascar controlled by ocean currents |journal=[[Nature (journal)|Nature]] |volume=463 |issue=4 |pages=653–656 |date= Feb 2010 |doi=10.1038/nature08706 |pmid=20090678 |bibcode=2010Natur.463..653A}}</ref> Similarities in dentition between aye-ayes and several African primate fossils (''[[Plesiopithecus]]'' and ''[[Propotto]]'') have led to the alternate theory that the ancestors of aye-ayes colonized Madagascar separately from other lemurs.<ref name="Gunnell2018">{{cite journal|display-authors=4 |last1= Gunnell|first1=G.F. |last2= Boyer|first2=D.M. |last3= Friscia|first3=A.R. |last4= Heritage|first4=S. |last5= Manthi|first5=F.K. |last6= Miller|first6=E.R. |last7= Sallam|first7=H.M. |last8= Simmons|first8=N.B. |last9= Stevens|first9=N.J. |last10= Seiffert|first10=E.R. |title= Fossil lemurs from Egypt and Kenya suggest an African origin for Madagascar's aye-aye|journal= Nature Communications|volume= 9|issue= 1|year= 2018|page= 3193|doi= 10.1038/s41467-018-05648-w|pmid= 30131571|pmc= 6104046|bibcode= 2018NatCo...9.3193G|doi-access= free}}</ref> In 2008, [[Russell Mittermeier]], Colin Groves, and others ignored addressing higher-level taxonomy by defining lemurs as monophyletic and containing five living families, including Daubentoniidae.<ref name="Mittermeier_et_al_2008"/>

Further evidence indicating that the aye-aye belongs in the superfamily [[Lemuroidea]] can be inferred from the presence of [[Petrous part of the temporal bone|petrosal]] bullae encasing the [[ossicles]] of the ear.{{Sfn|Ankel-Simons|2007|p=257}} The aye-ayes are also similar to lemurs in their shorter back legs.<ref name=Science/>

== Anatomy and morphology ==
[[File:Aye-Aye Daubentonia madagascariensis in Stockholm.jpg|thumb|upright|Skeleton]]
[[File:Aye-Aye Daubentonia madagascariensis in Copenhagen (Left Hand).jpg|thumb|upright|Closeup of the hand showing the elongated digits and the thinner third digit]]
[[File:Daubentonia madagascariensis 3d scan Natural History Museum University of Pisa C 1065.stl|thumb|3d scan of the skull of ''Daubentonia madagascariensis'']]
[[File:Daubentonia madagascariensis 3d scan Natural History Museum University of Pisa C 946.stl|thumb|3d scan of the left hand of ''Daubentonia madagascariensis'']]

A full-grown aye-aye is typically about {{convert|2|ft|cm|-1|order=flip|abbr=off}} long with a tail longer than its body. The species has an average head and body length of {{convert|14|-|17|in|cm|abbr=on|order=flip}} plus a tail of {{convert|22|-|24|in|cm|abbr=on|order=flip}}, and weighs around {{convert|4|lb|kg|round=0.5|order=flip|abbr=off}}.<ref name=nationalgeographic/>

Young aye-ayes typically are silver colored on their front and have a stripe down their back. However, as the aye-ayes begin to reach maturity, their bodies will be completely covered in thick fur and are typically not one solid color. On the head and back, the ends of the hair are typically tipped with white while the rest of the body will ordinarily be a yellow and/or brown color.

Among the aye-aye's signature traits are its fingers.<ref name="Perry2012" /> The third finger, which is much thinner than the others, is used for extracting grubs and insects out of trees, using the hooked nail. The finger is unique in the animal kingdom in that it possesses a ball-and-socket [[metacarpophalangeal joint]],<ref>{{Cite journal |title= Anatomy of the hand and arm in Daubentonia madagascariensis: a functional and phylogenetic outlook |last= Soligo |first=C. |s2cid= 25535277 |date= 2005 |journal= Folia Primatol |volume=76 |issue=5 |pages=262–300 |doi=10.1159/000088034 |pmid=16230860 |url=https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/88034|url-access=subscription }}</ref> can reach the throat through a [[nostril]] and is used for [[Nose picking|picking one's nose]] and [[eating mucus]] ([[mucophagy]]) so harvested from inside the nose.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Davis |first1=Nicola |title=Researchers reveal secret of aye-ayes' long middle finger {{!}} Video shows captive Madagascan primates using elongated finger to pick nose and eat the mucus |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/27/researchers-reveal-secret-aye-aye-long-middle-finger-pick-nose |access-date=30 October 2022 |work=The Guardian |date=26 October 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Fabre |first1=A.-C. |last2=Portela Miguez |first2=R. |last3=Wall |first3=C. E. |last4=Peckre |first4=L. R. |last5=Ehmke |first5=E. |last6=Boistel |first6=R. |title=A review of nose picking in primates with new evidence of its occurrence in Daubentonia madagascariensis |journal=Journal of Zoology |date=26 October 2022 |volume=319 |issue=2 |pages=91–98 |doi=10.1111/jzo.13034 |s2cid=253169043 |language=en |issn=0952-8369|doi-access=free }}</ref> The aye-aye has also evolved a sixth digit, a [[pseudothumb]], to aid in gripping.<ref name= "Hartstone-Rose2019">{{cite journal |last1= Hartstone-Rose |first1=A. |last2= Dickinson |first2=E. |last3= Boettcher |first3=M.L. |last4= Herrel |first4=A. |title=A primate with a panda's thumb: The anatomy of the pseudothumb of ''Daubentonia madagascariensis'' |journal= American Journal of Physical Anthropology |volume=171 |issue=1 |pages=8–16 |year=2020 |doi= 10.1002/ajpa.23936 |pmid=31633197|bibcode=2020AJPA..171....8H |doi-access=free }}</ref>

The complex geometry of ridges on the inner surface of aye-aye ears helps to sharply focus not only echolocation signals from the tapping of its finger, but also to passively listen for any other sound produced by the prey. These ridges can be regarded as the acoustic equivalent of a [[Fresnel lens]], and may be seen in a large variety of unrelated animals, such as [[lesser galago]], [[bat-eared fox]], [[mouse lemur]], and others.

Females have two nipples located in the region of the groin.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ostrom |first=Homer |title=The Breast And its Surgical Disease |publisher=J.N. Stoddart & Co. |year=1877}}</ref> The male's genitalia are similar to those of [[canid]]s, with a large [[prostate]] and long [[baculum]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Dixson |first=Alan F. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z9N_BokMAMkC&pg=PA321 |title=Primate Sexuality: Comparative Studies of the Prosimians, Monkeys, Apes, and Humans |date=2012-01-26 |publisher=OUP Oxford |isbn=978-0-19-954464-6 |language=en}}</ref>

== Behaviour and lifestyle ==
The aye-aye is a nocturnal and arboreal animal meaning that it spends most of its life high in the trees. Although they are known to come down to the ground on occasion, aye-ayes sleep, eat, travel and mate in the trees and are most commonly found close to the canopy where there is plenty of cover from the dense foliage. During the day, aye-ayes sleep in spherical nests in the forks of tree branches that are constructed out of leaves, branches and vines before emerging after dark to begin their hunt for food. Aye-aye are solitary animals that mark their large home range with scent.  The smaller territories of females often overlap those of at least a couple of males. Male aye-ayes tend to share their territories with other males and are even known to share the same nests (although not at the same time), and can seemingly tolerate each other until they hear the call of a female that is looking for a mate.{{cn|date=October 2023}}

Mating season extends throughout the year, with females typically starting to breed at the age of three or four. They give birth to one offspring every two to three years.<ref name=IUCN/> During the period of parenting, a female becomes the dominant figure over males, likely to secure better access to food while caring for her young. The infant remains in a nest for up to two months before venturing out, but it takes another seven months before the young aye-aye can maneuver the canopy as skillfully as an adult.<ref name=":0" />

=== Diet and foraging ===
[[File:Ayeaye, Daubentonia madagascariensis, Joseph Wolf.jpg|thumb|upright|right|An aye-aye foraging, {{circa|1863}}, [[Joseph Wolf]]]]

[[File:Gnawed limb, Daubentonia madagascariensis.jpg|thumb|right|Gnawed limb by an aye-aye to prey on larvae]]
The aye-aye is an [[omnivore]] and commonly eats seeds, nuts, fruits, nectar, plant exudates and fungi, but also xylophagous, or wood boring, insect larvae (especially [[Longhorn beetle|cerambycid beetle]] larvae) and honey.{{LoM3 Sfn|p=606}}<ref>{{cite web | url=https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Daubentonia_madagascariensis/ | title=Daubentonia madagascariensis (Aye-aye) | website=[[Animal Diversity Web]] }}</ref>
Aye-ayes tap on the trunks and branches of trees at a rate of up to eight times per second, and listen to the echo produced to find hollow chambers. Studies have suggested that the acoustic properties associated with the foraging cavity have no effect on excavation behavior.<ref name="Erickson1998" /> Once a chamber is found, they chew a hole into the wood and get grubs out of that hole with their highly adapted narrow and bony middle fingers.<ref name=Haring>{{cite journal|last=Haring|first=David|title=Eep! It's an Aye-Aye. |journal=Wildlife Conservation|date=March 1996|pages=28–35}}</ref> The aye-aye begins [[foraging]] between 30 minutes before and three hours after sunset. Up to 80% of the night is spent foraging in the canopy, separated by occasional rest periods. It climbs trees by making successive vertical leaps, much like a squirrel. Horizontal movement is more difficult, but the aye-aye rarely descends to jump to another tree, and can often travel up to {{convert|4|km|mi|frac=2|abbr=on}} a night.<ref name="Garbutt1999">{{Cite book |last= Garbutt|first=N. |chapter=AYE-AYES Family Daubentoniidae |pages=205–207 |chapter-url= https://books.google.com/books?id=ftjKjbPKF2oC&q=aye-aye |title= Mammals of Madagascar|date= 1999|publisher= Yale University Press|isbn= 0-300-07751-3|location=New Haven|oclc= 41158604}}</ref><ref name=Durrell1994/>

Though foraging is usually solitary, they occasionally forage in groups. Individual movements within the group are coordinated using both vocalisations and scent signals.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://pin.primate.wisc.edu/factsheets/entry/aye-aye/behav |title=Primate Factsheets: Aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) Behavior|website=pin.primate.wisc.edu|access-date=2019-12-02}}</ref>

=== Social systems ===
The aye-aye is classically considered 'solitary' as they have not been observed to groom each other.{{Citation needed|date=April 2011}} However, recent research suggests that it is more social than once thought. It usually sticks to foraging in its own personal home range, or territory. The home ranges of males often overlap, and the males can be very social with each other. Female home ranges never overlap, though a male's home range often overlaps that of several females. The male aye-ayes live in large areas up to {{convert|80|acre|ha|order=flip}}, while females have smaller living spaces that go up to {{convert|20|acre|ha|order=flip}}. It is difficult for the males to defend a singular female because of the large home range. They are seen exhibiting polygyny because of this.<ref>{{Cite book |chapter=Patterns of Range Use and Social Organization in Aye-ayes (''Daubentonia madagascariensis'') on Nosy Mangabe |last=Sterling |first=Eleanor |date=1993 |title=Lemur Social Systems and Their Ecological Basis |pages=1–10 |doi=10.1007/978-1-4899-2412-4_1 |editor-last=Kappeler |editor-first=P.M. |editor-last2=Ganzhorn |editor-first2=J.U. |location=New York |publisher=Plenum Press |isbn=978-1-4899-2414-8}}</ref> Regular scent marking with their cheeks and neck is how aye-ayes let others know of their presence and repel intruders from their territory.{{r|Durrell}}

Like many other prosimians, the female aye-aye is dominant to the male. They are not typically monogamous, and will often challenge each other for mates. Male aye-ayes are very assertive in this way, and sometimes even pull other males away from a female during mating. Males are normally locked to females during mating in sessions that may last up to an hour. Outside of mating, males and females interact only occasionally, usually while foraging.<ref name="Garbutt1999" /> The aye-aye is thought to be the only primate which uses [[Animal echolocation|echolocation]] to find its prey.<ref name=nationalgeographic/>

== Distribution and habitat ==
{{stack|[[File:Aye-aye at night in the wild in Madagascar.jpg|thumb|upright|right|Aye-ayes are nocturnal.]]}}

The aye-aye lives primarily on the east coast of Madagascar. Its natural habitat is [[Madagascar lowland forests|rainforest]] or [[Madagascar dry deciduous forests|dry deciduous forest]], but many live in cultivated areas due to deforestation. Rainforest aye-ayes, the most common, dwell in canopy areas, and are usually sighted above 70 meters altitude. They sleep during the day in nests built from interwoven twigs and dead leaves up in the canopy among the vines and branches.<ref name="Garbutt1999" />

== Conservation ==
[[File:Daubentonia madagascariensis - dead 01.jpg|upright|thumb|Aye-ayes are commonly thought to be bad omens by some of the Malagasy people, although other legends consider them a good omen. When spotted, they are killed on sight and hung up so that the evil spirit will be carried away by travelers.]]

The aye-aye was thought to be extinct in 1933, but was rediscovered in 1957. In 1966, nine individuals were transported to [[Nosy Mangabe]], an island near [[Maroantsetra]] off eastern Madagascar.{{LoM3 Sfn|pp=605–606}} Recent research shows the aye-aye is more widespread than was previously thought, but its conservation status was changed to [[Endangered species|endangered]] in 2014.<ref name=IUCN/><ref name=CITES>{{cite web | url = http://checklist.cites.org/#/en/search/scientific_name=Daubentonia | title = Checklist of CITES Species | website = CITES | publisher = UNEP-WCMC | access-date = 18 March 2015}}</ref> This is for four main reasons: the aye-aye is [[Fady (taboo)|considered evil]] by local cultures, and is killed as such. The forests of Madagascar are declining in range due to [[deforestation]]. Local farmers will kill aye-ayes to protect their crops; aye-aye [[poaching]] is another major issue. However, there is no direct evidence to suggest aye-ayes pose any legitimate threat to crops and therefore are killed based on superstition.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Hill|first=Catherine M. |title=Primate Conservation and Local Communities-Ethical Issues and Debates|journal=American Anthropologist|date=December 2002|volume=104|issue=4|pages=1184–1194|doi=10.1525/aa.2002.104.4.1184|doi-access=free}}<!--|access-date=24 July 2012--></ref>

As many as 50&nbsp;aye-ayes can be found in zoological facilities worldwide.{{LoM3 Sfn|p=609}}

=== Folk belief ===
The aye-aye is often viewed as a harbinger of evil and death and killed on sight. Others believe, if one points its narrowest finger at someone, they are marked for death. Some say that the appearance of an aye-aye in a village predicts the death of a villager, and the only way to prevent this is to kill it. The [[Sakalava]] people go so far as to claim aye-ayes sneak into houses through the thatched roofs and murder the sleeping occupants by using their middle fingers to puncture their victims' [[aorta]].{{Sfn|Piper|2007 |p={{page needed|date=December 2020}}}}

=== Captive breeding ===
The conservation of this species has been aided by captive breeding, primarily at the [[Duke Lemur Center]] in [[Durham, North Carolina]]. This center has been influential in keeping, researching and breeding aye-ayes and other lemurs, including how they develop through infancy. They have also revolutionized the understanding of the aye-aye diet.<ref name=Haring/> [[Jersey Zoo]] in the [[United Kingdom]], also plays a big role in the conservation of the species. After importing six aye-ayes from the wild in 1990, they achieved the world's first captive breeding in 1992. They also keep the international studbook of the species and manage the [[EAZA Ex-situ Programme|European breeding program]].{{cn|date=September 2025}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em|refs=

<ref name=IUCN>{{cite iucn |author=Louis, E.E. |author2=Sefczek, T.M. |author3=Randimbiharinirina, D.R. |author4=Raharivololona, B. |author5=Rakotondrazandry, J.N. |author6=Manjary, D. |author7=Aylward, M. |author8=Ravelomandrato, F. |year=2020 |title=''Daubentonia madagascariensis'' |article-number=e.T6302A115560793 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T6302A115560793.en}}</ref>

<ref name="2012Dunkel_et_al">{{cite journal | last1 = Dunkel | first1 =A.R. | last2 = Zijlstra | first2 =J.S. | last3 = Groves | first3 =C.P. | title = Giant rabbits, marmosets, and British comedies: etymology of lemur names, part 1 | url = http://www.aeecl.org/lemurnews/lemurnews2011_16.pdf | journal = Lemur News | volume = 16 | year = 2011–2012 | issn = 1608-1439 | pages = 64–70 | access-date = 2014-10-17 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161106163717/http://www.aeecl.org/lemurnews/lemurnews2011_16.pdf | archive-date = 2016-11-06 }}</ref>

<ref name=Durrell1994>{{Cite book|title=The Dodo: Journal of Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust Volume 30|publisher=Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust|year=1994|isbn=0-9515581-7-X|location=Jersey, Channel Islands|page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=9_1BDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA43 43]}}</ref>

<ref name="Durrell">{{cite web | url = http://www.durrell.org/Animals/Mammals/Ayeaye/ | title = Aye-Aye | work = [[Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust]] | date = 2006-10-26 | access-date = 2011-12-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140523102236/http://www.durrell.org/Animals/Mammals/Ayeaye/ |archive-date=2014-05-23 }}</ref>

<!--<ref name="2010Knowles">[http://www.aolnews.com/science/article/superstitious-villagers-are-killing-off-harmless-primate-called-aye-aye/19416515?icid=main|main|dl1|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aolnews.com%2Fscience%2Farticle%2Fsuperstitious-villagers-are-killing-off-harmless-primate-called-aye-aye%2F19416515 Harmless Creature Killed Because of Superstition], {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528043039/http://www.aolnews.com/science/article/superstitious-villagers-are-killing-off-harmless-primate-called-aye-aye/19416515?icid=main%7Cmain%7Cdl1%7Clink3%7Chttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.aolnews.com%2Fscience%2Farticle%2Fsuperstitious-villagers-are-killing-off-harmless-primate-called-aye-aye%2F19416515 |date=2010-05-28 }} David Knowles, March 27, 2010</ref>-->

<ref name="Mittermeier_et_al_2008">{{Cite journal |display-authors=4 | last1 = Mittermeier | first1 =R.A. | last2 = Ganzhorn | first2 =J.U. | last3 = Konstant | first3 =W.R. | last4 = Glander | first4 =K. | last5 = Tattersall | first5 =I. | last6 = Groves | first6 =C.P. | last7 = Rylands | first7 =A.B. | last8 = Hapke | first8 =A. | last9 = Ratsimbazafy | first9 =J. | author-link1 = Russell Mittermeier | last10 = Mayor | author-link5 = Ian Tattersall | first10 =M.I. | author-link6 = Colin Groves | last11 = Louis | first11 =E.E. | last12 = Rumpler | first12 =Y. | last13 = Schwitzer | first13 =C. | last14 = Rasoloarison | first14 =R.M. | s2cid = 17614597 | title = Lemur Diversity in Madagascar | journal = International Journal of Primatology | volume = 29 | issue = 6 | pages = 1607–1656 | year = 2008 | url = http://www.aeecl.org/documents/28.pdf | doi = 10.1007/s10764-008-9317-y | hdl = 10161/6237 | access-date = 2015-09-01 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180827211758/http://www.aeecl.org/documents/28.pdf | archive-date = 2018-08-27 }}</ref>

<ref name=nationalgeographic>{{cite web |title=Aye-Aye |publisher=National Geographic Society |url=http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/aye-aye/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100118144125/http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/aye-aye |archive-date=18 January 2010 |access-date=18 May 2010}}</ref>

}}

== Literature cited ==
{{Refbegin}}

* <!-- {{Sfn|Ankel-Simons|2007}} -->{{cite book | last1 = Ankel-Simons | first1 =F. | title= Primate Anatomy | edition = 3rd | publisher = Academic Press | year = 2007 |isbn= 978-0-12-372576-9 }}
* <!-- {{Sfn|Beck|2009}} -->{{Cite journal | last1 = Beck | first1 =R.M.D. | doi = 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2009.01171.x | title = Was the Oligo-Miocene Australian metatherian ''Yalkaparidon'' a 'mammalian woodpecker'? | journal = Biological Journal of the Linnean Society | volume = 97 | issue = 1 | pages = 1–17 | year = 2009 | doi-access = free }}
* <!-- {{Sfn|Groves|2005}} -->{{MSW3 Primates|id=12100099}}
* <!-- {{LoM3 Sfn}} -->{{LoM3}}
* <!-- {{Sfn|Nowak|1999}} -->{{cite book | last = Nowak | first =R.M. | year = 1999 | publisher = Johns Hopkins University Press | title = Walker's Primates of the World | edition = 6th | url = https://archive.org/details/walkersprimateso0000nowa | url-access = registration |location = Baltimore, Maryland | isbn = 978-0-8018-6251-9 }}
* <!-- {{Sfn|Piper|2007}} -->{{cite book | last = Piper | first = Ross | year = 2007 | title = Extraordinary Animals: An Encyclopedia of Curious and Unusual Animals | publisher = Greenwood Press | isbn = 978-0-313-33922-6 |url=https://archive.org/details/extraordinaryani0000pipe| url-access = registration}}
* <!-- {{Sfn|Sterling|2003}} -->{{cite book | last1 = Sterling | first1 =E. | contribution = ''Daubentonia madagascariensis'', Aye-aye, ''Aye-aye'' | editor1-last = Goodman | editor1-first =S.M. | editor2-last = Benstead | editor2-first =J.P. | title = The Natural History of Madagascar | publisher = University of Chicago Press | isbn = 978-0-226-30306-2 | pages = 1348–1351 | year = 2003 }}
* <!-- {{Sfn|Yoder|Vilgalys|Ruvolo|1996}} -->{{Cite journal
| last1 = Yoder | first1 =A.D.
| last2 = Vilgalys | first2 =R.
| last3 = Ruvolo | first3 =M.
| title = Molecular evolutionary dynamics of cytochrome ''b'' in strepsirrhine primates: The phylogenetic significance of third-position transversions
| journal = Molecular Biology and Evolution
| volume = 13
| issue = 10
| pages = 1339–1350
| year = 1996
| issn = <!-- 0737-4038 -->
| pmid = 8952078
| doi=10.1093/oxfordjournals.molbev.a025580
| doi-access = free
}}

{{Refend}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Daubentonia madagascariensis}}
{{Wikispecies|Daubentonia madagascariensis}}
{{Wiktionary}}
* {{usurped|[https://uakari.tripod.com/ayeaye.html Primate Behavior: Aye-Aye] }}
* ARKive – [https://web.archive.org/web/20060422080202/http://www.arkive.org/species/GES/mammals/Daubentonia_madagascariensis/ images and movies of the aye-aye ''(Daubentonia madagascariensis)'']

{{Primates}}
{{Strepsirrhini|L.}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q186778}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:EDGE species]]
[[Category:Fauna of the Madagascar lowland forests]]
[[Category:Lemurs]]
[[Category:Madagascar dry deciduous forests]]
[[Category:Mammals described in 1788]]
[[Category:Mammals of Madagascar]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Johann Friedrich Gmelin]]