Northern greater galago
| Northern greater galago | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Primates |
| Suborder: | Strepsirrhini |
| Family: | Galagidae |
| Genus: | Otolemur |
| Species: | O. garnettii |
| Binomial name | |
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Otolemur garnettii (Ogilby, 1838) |
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| Northern greater galago range | |
The northern greater galago (Otolemur garnettii), also known as Garnett's greater galago or small-eared greater galago, is a nocturnal, arboreal primate endemic to Africa.
Four subspecies of Otolemur garnettii are recognized:
This species has a large body size relative to other galagos. The ears are small relative to the round head with short, wide snout. The eyes are large and binocular. The dentition formula is 2:1:3:3.
The coloration depends upon subspecies: O. g. garnetti exhibits green-tinged reddish brown dorsal pelage. The ventral side is yellow and the terminal half of the tail is black. O. g. lasiotis has lighter and more gray toned fur than O. g. garnetti. The ventral side is white and the tail's terminal end of the tail is only slightly darker than the rest with a white tip. O. g. kikuyuensis exhibits iron gray fur tinged with green on its back, flanks and limbs. The ventral side is yellow-white. The tail is usually light brown with the terminal quarter being black. O. g. panganiensis is reddish brown to gray lacking the greenish hints in other species, while the ventral surface varies from white to yellow. The terminal quarter of the tail is dark brown or black.
The northern greater galago has a head-and-body length of 23–34 cm (26 cm average), a tail length of 31–44 cm (average 36 cm) and body weight of 0.5–1 kg (mean 0.75 kg). This species exhibits significant degree of sexual size dimorphism with males larger than the females. This is due to bimaturism, where males have a longer period of growth and have an average 19% greater body mass than females. The average male is 794 g and the average adult female is 734 g.
The species is found in coastal regions of East Africa ranging from the Juba River in Somalia to the Ruvuma River in Tanzania. It also can be found inland throughout the Kenyan highlands and on the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba. The species is restricted to coastal and riverine forests or Kenyan highland forest. It does not inhabit woodland savannah. The actual geographic range of each subspecies is as follows: O. g. garnetti is restricted to Zanzibar and the Pemba Islands. O. g. lasiotis is found along the Kenyan coast as far north as the Juba River and south to Tanga and Tanzania. Its range extends inland to the Taita Hills and Kibwezi. O. g. kikuyuensis is found in the Kenyan Highlands. O. g. panganiensis is found throughout Tanzania from the border of Mozambique north to Tanga.
The northern greater galago is a nocturnal predominantly arboreal primate. During the day, they sleep alone in trees and emerge at night. They tend to focus on a particularly portion of their home range for several nights while foraging, then move on to concentrate on a new section after a short time. They are quadrupedal and are capable of hopping short distances from tree to tree. Unlike their larger relatives the brown greater galagos, northern greater galagos can land hind feet first when leaping. Their diet consists primarily of fruit and insects, approximately a 50/50 mix. They are capable of learned behaviors to fish and consume mollusks when available.
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Wikipedia