Galagoides thomasi (Elliot, 1907)
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publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.6657019 |
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DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6656957 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03D2E067-FFCE-FFE6-FA95-F4326F2BF47C |
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treatment provided by |
Jonas |
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scientific name |
Galagoides thomasi |
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Thomas’s Dwarf Galago
Galagoides thomasi View in CoL
French: Galago de Thomas / German: Thomas-Zwerggalago / Spanish: Galago pequeno de Thomas
Other common names: Thomas's Bushbaby, Thomas's Dwarf Bushbaby, Thomas's Galago
Taxonomy. Galago (Hemigalago) thomasi Elliot, 1907 View in CoL ,
Fort Beni, Semliki River, Belgian Congo (= DR Congo).
Following its description, G. thomasi was generally regarded as a subspecies of G. demidovi, but in 1953, W. C. O. Hill remarked that thomas: was the only distinctive subspecies, having a larger body size and longer, looser fur. It was L. Nash and her coworkers who resurrected thomas: as a full species in 1989. It is sympatric with G. demidovii across much of its range. Monotypic.
Distribution. W & C Africa including S Senegal, Ivory Coast, S Ghana, S Nigeria, S Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea (also on Bioko I), Gabon, Republic of the Congo, DR Congo, W Uganda, NW Tanzania, and NE Zambia; possibly in Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, SW Central African Republic, Rwanda, Burundi, and Angola. The outer boundary ofits distribution is uncertain. View Figure
Descriptive notes. Head-body 14-20 cm, tail 15-24 cm; weight 60-150 g. Thomas’s Dwarf Galago is a small species with long loose fur, a narrow head, and a comparatively long, pointed muzzle that often has a pale nose stripe. Ears are prominent. The dorsal side is brownish-gray, and the underside is yellowish. It has a very pale interocular stripe with variable eye-rings; in some populations, these are fine and indistinct, and in others, these are dark, forming a mask. The tail is not bushy and is the same color as the dorsum. The dorsum is medium to light brown. The ventrum is slightly lighter brown in many populations, but coat coloris strongly influenced by shedding, being more ashyjust before shedding and darkerjust after. The anal scent gland is black.
Habitat. Lowland and montane forest up to 2690 m above sea level; gallery, deciduous, semi-deciduous, littoral, and riparian forests; marshland, plantations, and farmbush. When in sympatry with Demidoff’s Dwarf Galago , Thomas’s Dwarf Galago normally occupies the upperstrata of the canopy, 10-20 m above the ground, but when allopatric, it also uses the ground level.
Food and Feeding. Thomas's Dwarf Galago has been described as a faunivore-frugivore, feeding on fruits, young leaves, exudates, and invertebrates, although invertebrate foods seem to make up two-thirds or more of the diet. It can acrobatically hang bipedally when catching food or eating, and it can catch insect prey with surprising rapidity.
Breeding. The female gives birth to one or two young after gestation of 110-114 days. Births take place throughout the year, although there is a peak in frequency from December to February. A poorly defined mating peak was reported during August in Uganda, with a discernible birth peak (five records) in December-February (the driest time of the year in Uganda). Nevertheless, births or extrapolated births were recorded in all months, and adult females were always either pregnant or nursing. Birth weights are ¢.25 g. Single young are about as frequent as twins. Sex ratios at birth and among adults appear to be relatively consistent at 1:1.
Activity patterns. Thomas's Dwarf Galago is nocturnal and arboreal. It uses broad supports near tree trunks and finer branches in the crown. It makes very rapid movements—frequently ascending, descending, and leaping up to 1-8 m between supports.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. Thomas’s Dwarf Galagos are largely solitary, with a male’s territory overlapping those of several females. They sleep either in nests of dense vegetation or self-made nests, but they will very occasionally resort to natural crevices or holes in trees, which they line with fresh leaves. They are usually solitary while foraging but maintain occasional vocal contact with familiar individuals. They usually sleep communally, although lone males have been seen. In Cameroon, up to five individuals of mixed sex have been observed gathering at dawn, whereas in Uganda as many as 8-12 individuals with even or near-even adult sex ratios have been observed while sleeping together. Their vocal repertoire is distinct. Contact calls are short crescendos that rapidly increase in speed and pitch and are usually repeated at least three times in quick succession. Trill calls are associated with individuals coming together at dawn and can be characterized as assembly calls. Rapid chips are given in the context of mild alarm. Apparent alarm calls are usually given in long sequences for about 30 minutes. High-intensity alarm calls include rapid yaps in discrete phrases. There are also rapid and rhythmical yaps, often interspersed with grunts and buzzes. They live up to ten years in captivity.
Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix II. Classified as Least Concern on The [UCN Red List. Thomas's Dwarf Galago is widespread and often common, especially in disturbed habitats. Its small size means that it is generally not hunted. It occurs in numerous protected areas, and its presence was recently confirmed in northern Tanzania.
Bibliography. Ambrose (1999, 2006), Bearder et al. (2003), Blackwell (1969b), Burnham & Navaza-Leon (1998), Charles-Dominique (1972), Kingdon (1971, 1997), Llorente et al. (2003), Nash et al. (1989), Oates (2011), Olson (1979), Olson & Nash (2003), Omari et al. (1999), Simpson (1965), Wickings et al. (1998).
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.
