We think that it may have evolved to help the lemur grip branches as it climbs through the trees and to help it grasp small objects, since its other fingers became so long and specialised. Previously undocumented, this tiny extra digit - called a “pseudothumb” - is a structure on each wrist made of bone and cartilage. My colleagues and I recently found yet another unique specialisation that sets the aye-aye apart from other primates: a sixth finger on each hand. These are then fished out with exceptional dexterity because the finger can swivel like a shoulder, and it is so thin that the animal habitually rests it on its even longer fourth finger for support. They “tap” them against wood to generate acoustic reverberations that allow them to find wood‐boring larvae. The animals also have highly specialised, extremely long third digits – middle fingers if you like – which they use to find food. In fact, they are so long that the aye-aye’s hand accounts for about 41% of the total length of the forelimb. It is most famous for its exceptionally long and skinny fingers. It has bat‐like ears that allow it to echo-locate and rodent-like ever-growing incisors – both unique among primates. Native to Madagascar, this lemur is the largest nocturnal primate in the world and has unique features that set it apart. The aye-aye is one of nature’s most fascinatingly bizarre creatures.
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