Final answer:
The aye-aye of Madagascar occupies a niche similar to the woodpecker's, using its elongated middle finger to tap on wood and extract grubs, which resembles the woodpecker's method of foraging for insects.
Step-by-step explanation:
On Madagascar, the aye-aye fills a similar ecological niche to that of a woodpecker. The aye-aye is a unique primate, known for its distinctive method of foraging, which involves tapping on wood to locate grubs and then using its elongated middle finger to extract them. This behavior is comparable to the foraging patterns of woodpeckers outside of Madagascar, which also tap on wood and extract insects for food. The aye-aye has elongated fingers and a special tapping behavior to detect hollow spaces in trees, while the woodpecker has a strong beak and sharp claws for pecking into tree trunks.