Lemur 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.