aye-aye

aye-aye, (Daubentonia madagascariensis), rare squirrel-like primate of Madagascar, the sole living representative of the family Daubentoniidae. Nocturnal, solitary, and arboreal, most aye-ayes live in rainforests of eastern Madagascar; however, fossils from Egypt and Kenya dating to 34 million years ago suggest that the ancestors of present-day aye-ayes originated in Africa before dispersing to Madagascar. The aye-aye is known for its unique hand structure, especially for its unusually long third digit.

The aye-aye is about 40 cm (16 inches) long, excluding the bushy 55- to 60-cm (21.6- to 23.6-inch) tail. Covered with long, coarse, dark brown or black fur, it has a short face, large eyes, and ever-growing incisors like those of rodents.

The aye-aye’s hands are large, and its fingers, especially the third, are long and slender. The species possesses five fingers on each hand and a pseudo-thumb, a distinct bony digit that does not occur in any other primate. All the fingers have pointed claws, as do the toes except for the large opposable flat-nailed great toes. The aye-aye constructs a large ball-like nest of leaves in forked tree branches and feeds mainly on insects and fruit. It locates wood-boring insect larvae by tapping the tree with the long, specialized third finger, apparently listening for the hollow sound of the channels the grubs make through the wood, and then uses this finger to extract the insects. It also uses the third finger to dig the pulp out of fruit. The female bears a single young.

The Red List of Threatened Species published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources lists the aye-aye as an endangered species. Successful breeding colonies have been established on a few small islands near Madagascar, and some aye-ayes are kept in captivity in a few zoos outside the country.