Galago moholi, A. Smith, 1836
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publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.6657019 |
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DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6656985 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03D2E067-FFCA-FFE2-FA9A-F44A6009FC7E |
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treatment provided by |
Jonas |
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scientific name |
Galago moholi |
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Southern Lesser Galago
French: Galago moholi / German: Moholi-Galago / Spanish: Galago menor meridional
Other common names: Mohol Galago, Moholi Bushbaby, Moholi Galago, South African Galago, South African Lesser Galago
Taxonomy. Galago moholi A. Smith, 1836 View in CoL ,
Botswana, banks of the Marikwa and Limpopo Rivers.
This species was formerly considered a subspecies of G. senegalensis . A subspecies is recognized by some authors, the “Namibia Lesser Galago ” (G. m. bradfield:), but not here. Individuals from the western and eastern sides of the species’ distribution are small in size, whereas those from the central part are larger. Other than that, little information is available to distinguish the two forms. G. moholi is sympatric with G. senegalensis in central and southern Tanzania, and possibly with G. matschiei in Burundi and Rwanda. Monotypic.
Distribution. SE DR Congo, Angola, Zambia, Malawi, and Zimbabwe to N Namibia, N & E Botswana and W Mozambique, as far S as the Orange and Limpopo rivers in NE South Africa; it may occur in NW (Lake Victoria) & W Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi. View Figure
Descriptive notes. Head-body 12-17 cm, tail 16-28 cm; weight 160-255 g (males) and 95-200 g (females). The Southern Lesser Galago is smaller than the Northern Lesser Galago ( G. senegalensis ), with very long ears and a long, dark, thin tail. It has a broad head with a short muzzle with a pale nose stripe. The dorsum is mainly grayish-buff with an area of dark brown on the lower back that varies in size according to the season. The underside is paler grayish brown, and lateral surfaces of limbs are yellowish. Flanks, feet, hands, and inner limbs are yellowish. There is a prominent white interocular stripe, and the black diamond-shaped eyerings are broad and black. Albinism has been reported. Males are c¢.10% larger than females, but the sexes are otherwise similar in appearance.
Habitat. Semi-arid Acacia woodland, woodland and open savanna, gallery forest, and forest edge. The Southern Lesser Galago occurs in all forest strata. It is found in the highest densities in association with Acacia (Fabaceae) . Habitat is drought-prone with very unpredictable rainfall.
Food and Feeding. The Southern Lesser Galago is a faunivore-gummivore; it does not eat fruits. Invertebrates comprise 52% of the diet and gums the remaining 48%. The most important trees providing gum are the sweet thorn ( Acacia karroo) and umbrella thorn ( Acacia tortilis) of the family Fabaceae . Southern Lesser Galagos increase their gum intake during the cold-dry winter (May—August) when availability of invertebrates declines. They traverse their winter home range moving from one gum site to the next; in open habitat, they even move on the ground. In the warm-wet summer (November—February), they feed more on insects and travel mostly through the trees. Up to two hours can be spent hunting for insects in one bout. Favored invertebrate prey includes moths, grasshoppers, and beetle larvae. They rarely drink water in the wild, but they do visit provisioned drinking stations at tourist hotels and are even tempted there by yogurt.
Breeding. Social organization of the Southern Lesser Galago is multimale-multifemale. The male approaches an estrous female with a low-clucking vocalization and, while mounting, makes a loud call that ends in a whistle. Usually two (sometimes just one) offspring are born in October-November orJanuary-February, after gestation of 130 days. Infants weigh c.12 g. Twins can be fathered by two different males. A mother carries the young in her mouth for the first couple of months. Infants leave the nest for the first time at ten days and are weaned at eleven weeks. Females have a postpartum estrus. Weaning takes place at 70-100 days. Females reach maturity at ¢.200 days and males at ¢.326 days. Adult females are philopatric; subadult males disperse into new areas. Juvenile mortality rates in the wild have been estimated at 55%. One individual lived for ten years and five months in the London Zoo, but they have been known to live up to 14 years.
Activity patterns. The Southern Lesser Galago is nocturnal and arboreal. It is a vertical clinger and leaper and can use its powerful hindlimbs to cross gaps of up to 5 m. Walking and climbing are used to negotiate highly thorny trees. It also frequently crosses between trees on the ground, using rapid bipedal hopping. Southern Lesser Galagos develop a thick undercoat before winter, which is shed in spring. There is no evidence of torpor, despite freezing mid-winter temperatures. Individuals tend to use familiar pathways and to rigorously scent-mark their routes. They travel c.2 km/night, moving through an average of 500 trees.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Southern Lesser Galago usually lives in small family groups of 2-7, typically an adult pair with or without young, two adult females plus infants, or an adult female with young. Such groups spend the day sleeping at the same site, but adults split up at night to forage alone. They sleep alone or in small groups of up to eight animals at heights of 1-13 m in selfconstructed nests of acacia twigs lined with leaves, tree holes, unused bird nests, dense foliage, or on branches and forks in trees. Acacia and mopane ( Colophospermum mopane, Fabaceae ) trees often have hollowed-out trunks that are used for nesting and breeding sites. Individuals have a midnight rest period and make use of two or three favorite sleeping sites during the day. In South Africa, during the coldest nights of mid-winter (minimum —5°C), individuals may return to huddle at a sleeping site up to seven hours before sunrise, and at these times they are frequently active during the day. In particularly cold weather, the Southern Lesser Galago nest in more sunny locations and are more likely to share nests. They have matriarchies. Dominant males are larger, are more vocal, and have an odor; subordinate males are smaller, are quiet, and lack an odor. Adult males are territorial and may fight viciously for control of a home range (1-5-22-9 ha) that overlaps the ranges of up to five females (4:4-11-7 ha). They spend up to 30% of the night within 50 m of conspecifics, and communication at a distance is maintained through sound and scent. Home ranges of adult males can double in size during the mating season as they seek estrous females over a wide area using scent and calls. Loud calls are made by both sexes, lending to a rich vocal repertoire of 19 calls, both continuous and discrete, as well as two infant-specific calls. Vocalizations include loud-calls made irrespective of the mating season: barks, whistles, and yaps. Infants make click and “crackle” (like paper crackling) vocalizations.
Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix II. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Southern Lesser Galago is able to live in close association with humans, occupying gardens and using buildings as sleeping places. It is widespread and common, and it is actually expanding its distribution in some areas, particularly in the south. It occurs in Luando Reserve in Angola; Waterberg National Park in Namibia; Borakalalo and Kruger national parks, Pilanesberg Game Reserve, and Tembe Elephant Park in South Africa; Kasanka National Park in Zambia; and Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe.
Bibliography. Anderson (1999, 2000), Anderson et al. (2000), Ansell (1960, 1978), Bearder (1969, 1974, 1987, 2007), Bearder & Doyle (1974a), Bearder & Martin (1980a, 1980b), Bearderet al. (2006), Butynski et al. (2006), Caton et al. (2000), Charles-Dominique & Bearder (1979), Clark (1985), Constantino (2001), Crompton (1984), Doyle (1979), Doyle & Bearder (1977), Doyle, Andersson & Bearder (1971), Doyle, Pelletier & Bekker (1967), Groves (1974), Harcourt (1981, 1986b), Harcourt & Bearder (1989), Izard & Nash (1988), Izard & Simons (1987), Jenkins (1987), Knox & Wright (1989), Lipschitz (1997), Lumsden & Masters (2001), Mascagni & Doyle (1993), Masters & Bragg (2000), Meester et al. (1986), Mzilikazi et al. (2006), Napier & Napier (1967), Nash & Weisenseel (2000), Nash et al. (1989), Olson (1979), Olson & Nash (2003), Pinto et al. (1974), Pullen (2000), Pullen et al. (2000), Skinner & Smithers (1990), Watson et al. (1996), Ying & Butler (1971), Zimmermann et al. (1988).
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