Southern Lesser Galago (Galago moholi)

MORPHOLOGY:


RANGE:


ECOLOGY:
The Southern lesser galago is primarily a carnivorous species, mostly eating arthropods, but it will also consume fruit (Bearder, 1987). This species sleeps in tree hollows during the day (Bearder, 1987). This is a semi-terrestrial and a nocturnal species.

LOCOMOTION:


SOCIAL BEHAVIOR:


VOCAL COMMUNICATION:

OLFACTORY COMMUNICATION:
urine-washing: the Southern lesser galago takes its hands and cups them, and then deposits urine on them (Estes, 1991). Next the Southern lesser galago takes that urine and spreads it on the soles of the feet (Estes, 1991). When the Southern lesser galago walks now, it leaves a little bit of urine on the substrate (Estes, 1991). Males urine-wash more frequently than females do, and when the female is in estrus, the male will deposit the urine directly upon the female (Estes, 1991). A Southern lesser galago will urine-wash when foraging in a new area, looking at a strange object, during aggressive encounters, and social grooming (Estes, 1991).

VISUAL COMMUNICATION:

TACTILE COMMUNICATION:
nose-to-nose sniffing: the Southern lesser galago does this when first coming upon a conspecific (Estes, 1991). This is followed by nose-to-face contact (Estes, 1991).

nose-to-face contact: this occurs after nose-to-nose sniffing (Estes, 1991). An individual will touch the face of a conspecific with its nose (Estes, 1991).

social grooming: this behavior is not as developed in the Southern lesser galago (Estes, 1991). This behavior is basically regulated to reciporcal licking Estes, 1991). Each individual deposits saliva upon one another and sometimes urine (Estes, 1991).

REPRODUCTION:
This species usually gives birth to a single offspring, although twins are not uncommon.

REFERENCES:
Bearder, S.K. 1987. Lorises, Bushbabies, and Tarsiers: Diverse Societies in Solitary Foragers. In Primate Societies. eds. B.B. Smuts, D.L. Cheney, R.M. Seyfart, R.W. Wrangham, and T.T. Struhsaker. University of Chicago Press.

Estes, R. D. 1992. The Behavior Guide to African Mammals. University of California Press.

Last Updated: December 14, 2005.
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