It is a large-bodied mouse lemur, and belongs to a group of large mouse lemurs (weighing more than 50 grams ), including four eastern species—Simmons' mouse lemur, Jolly's mouse lemur, the northern rufous mouse lemur (M. tavaratra), and MacArthur's mouse lemur (M. macarthurii)—as well as six species of western mouse lemur: Claire's mouse lemur (M. mamiratra), Danfoss' mouse lemur (M. danfossi), the Bongolava mouse lemur (M. bongolavensis), the golden-brown mouse lemur (M. ravelobensis), the gray mouse lemur (M. murinus), and the reddish-gray mouse lemur (M. griseorufus).