Lemurs are part of a class of primates known as prosimians. This type of primate was the evolutionary predecessor of monkeys and apes (simians). The term "lemur" is derived from the Latin word lemures, which means "spirits of the night" because they are nocturnal and have large, reflective eyes.
Lemurs are found naturally only on the island of Madagascar. Lemurs range in size from the tiny 30 gram Peters' Mouse Lemur to the 10 kilogram Indri. The Typically, the smaller lemurs are active at night (nocturnal), while the larger ones are active during the day (diurnal).
Lemurs are generally omnivores, eating a variety of fruits, flowers and leaves (and sometimes nectar) as well as insects, spiders and small vertebrates. Others though are herbivores.
All lemurs are endangered species, due mainly to habitat destruction (deforestation) and hunting. Currently, there are approximately 52 living lemur species.