New Lemur species named for Field Museum scientist
A tiny, new species of primate discovered on the African island nation of Madagascar has been named in honor of a scientist at Chicago's Field Museum.
The mouse lemur has been scientifically named "Microcebus lehilahytsara," the latter of which means "good man'' in the local language, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Wednesday.
The name is in recognition of Steve Goodman's 20 years spent on an inventory of the forests of Madagascar.
Goodman told the Sun-Times most animals in Madagascar are found nowhere else on Earth.
A profile of Goodman in Science Magazine -- headlined the "Bohemian of Biology" -- described how, as a rebellious teen, Goodman declared himself "uncomfortable" living indoors. At 14, he began sleeping outside.
He wandered the world until finding a home in Madagascar, "a place I could sink my teeth into."
Copyright 2005 by United Press International
