The tricky third finger of the aye aye

In this inaugural post, what better way to affirm my blog than with an aye aye?

Like all his lemur brethen, this primate is exclusive to the island of Madagascar, but markedly different in the third finger. Check it out...

We've long understood that this critter uses its extraordinary middle digit - covered with sensitive nerve endings that respond to vibrations, and much longer and thinner than its other fingers - to tap on tree branches to forage musically for beetle grubs.

But now, thanks to a Darmouth University team, the aye aye's favourite finger has been discovered to increase by up to 6 degrees celcius when it's being used.

Researcher Gillian Moritz said to BBC Nature (with a smile, I'm sure), "Like any delicate instrument, it is probably best deactivated when not in use."



Universally misunderstood, the aye aye was originally incorrectly classed by western scientists as a rodent, and some Malagasies believe they are bad omens that need to be killed.

If you chanced across the world's largest nocturnal primate, with its spectrally yellow eyes and bushy tail, and it crooked its bony bird at you, you would probably run screaming too. But the aye aye is more likely to be after a midnight snack of sugar cane or coconut.