It gives 2 types from the type Propithecus: the not so frequent Diademsifaka (Propithecus diadema) and the Larvensifaka (Propithecus verreauxi) subdivided into many subtypes.
The Larvensifaka is smaller than its cousin and colored more brightly. With the Diademsifaka, the black color predominates while there are almost white forms with the Larvensifaka. It is called that those are the most brightly occurring in dry areas and the moister the area becomes, that gains darkness-share.
Shape The Sifakas are over 50 cm big and resemble the tailless Indris very much. The Sifakas have in contrast to these a body-reaches, bushy tail. The face is shorter than with the Indri, but moved out nevertheless clearly dog-nicely. It, also like the ears, is black. The big, gold-shiny eyes are directional forward. they look at the observer with one stiff, seemingly "absent-minded" gaze.
The legs are longer than the arms and have a strongly distinctive big toe, that represents an outstanding gripping-organ together with the very narrow foot-surface.
The short arms are equipped at the inside with a gleithautähnlichen membrane (Indris), that drags on as far as to the body-flanks. The hand is little specialized quite originally and therefore and reminds of those of apes, albeit the thumb is not capable to execute very fine gripping-movements.
Locomotion The Sifakas move mainly with the hind legs. On the ground, they go two-legged and hold the balance with raised arms. However, the actual habitat is the trunk-region. they cling upright gladly to powerful, vertical trunks.
It is impressive to observe a troop of Sifakas, moves it in the trees. In a flash, all animals vanished with few jumps from the view. With a sentence, they can put back over 10 m. The animals jump one after the other, everyone exactly to the same landing field like the prior one.
At the jump, the body is stretched, the arms are held far forward. The whole strength of the jump is generated by the hind legs. The Sifakas straighten up during the jump and first land again with the hind legs, the arms far outstretched, at the next trunk. With the eyes, the nearest landing field is envisaged shortly, and another sentence follows into the Blättergewirr.
The Sifakas belong to the most acrobatic jumpers, whom it gives. Within the primates, its jump-arts are only with those of other Indris or those of the Koboldmakis comparable. The Sifakas jump not only between the smooth trunks of the foliage-trees but in same manner also through Dornenbüsche or through the gigantic ones, kakteenartigen Euphorbia - undergrowths (wolf-milk -) in the south.
Habitat As far as on the northwest, Sifakas are widespread over whole Madagascar. they live in all forest-regions, in both the evergreen rain-forest of the east and in the dry-forests of the west, that throw off the leaves at the end of the dry-time. The Larvensifaka lives in the west and southwest - also in the Euphorbia-Beständen and even near human settlements.
In some areas of Madagascar, the Sifaka was taboo. it was admired by the native population as bearers of spirits of the ancestors. There, where it was not hunted, it is very trustful also still today and lets observers approach on short distance. In other areas, the Sifaka was hunt-loot already for a long time and therefore always extremely shy.
The Diademsifaka lives in the eastern rain-forest of the island. it is to be observed far more heavily than the Larvensifaka, and there are less reports about its way of life.
Food The Sifakas are pure vegetarians. Although its long intestine is specialized on Blätternahrung, however, they pick up more fruits than other plant-parts. they furthermore still eat blooms and bark. Also like the gibbons, the Sifakas climb as far as into the most outer branch-tops in order to come to the food. These heavy animals frequently hang only at the hind legs of kopfunter at the branches and pull up the food with the hands to itself. To the food-search, only approximately 300-500 m daily are put back.
Social-behavior The Sifakas live in an interesting social-community of 3-10 animals. The average group-size is with 5 animals. However also individual males can be found. The leadership of the group frequently has an adult female. The hierarchy of the Sifakas is not constant and resembles that of the Katta.
The groups, that consist of several males and females, populate relatively small precincts of approximately 2 hectares. The territories overlap at the edges and are marked with urine-brands or the secretions of the pharynx-glands. The Sifaka takes a demonstrative attitude with stiff and candle-straight abgestrecktem tail when placing the urine-brands. The markings usually become from the males, sometimes placed however also from the females.
At the precinct-borders, ritualized "slaughter" frequently occur between neighboring groups. Real fights are executed by the animals only very rare so that one could have the impression of a wonderful Spieles. All animals are directional to the precinct of the opponent with the face. they spring one on top of the other and together past, conquers a favorable place above the opposing group or must retreat from unfavorable positions in the low area. These appearance-fights are very vehement.
Opposite enemies, the Sifakas also show a very energetic behavior. The whole group opposes the robber and challenges it. In contrast to many other primates, also the females take part in the attacks on the robber.
The Sifakas have alarm-screams, that differ, ever after, whether an enemy was spotted in the air or at the ground. The lute of the Sifakas is a sharp barking or a "hiccup-similar" Sifak-sifak - therefore also the name: Sifakas.
Reproduction The Sifakas get a young only once per year. During the combination-time, there are bloody fights among the males. The sexual ranking doesn't correspond to it at the food-place (primates).
The young was born in the time between June and September after 4-5 months of Tragzeit. Care is taken of it by all troop-members intensively. Under all (Katta) the Lemuren, the Sifaka has the most distinctive "aunt-behavior." Also the males take care of the small Sifakas.
The boys are carried by the adults on the back. With 11/2 months, they already are rather independent, remains, however, with the mother over one half year. they are sexually mature with 21/2 years.
Endangering The Larvensifaka is threatened by the extermination, and also the Diademsifaka is rare.
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