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Lemur named for Field Museum scientist

CHICAGO, Aug. 10 (UPI) -- 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.

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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."

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