Brown greater galago

Brown greater galago[1]
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[2]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Primates
Suborder:	Strepsirrhini
Infraorder:	Lorisiformes
Family:	Galagidae
Genus:	Otolemur
Species:	O. crassicaudatus
Binomial name
Otolemur crassicaudatus É Geoffroy, 1812
Brown greater galago range

The brown greater galago (Otolemur crassicaudatus) is a nocturnal primate, the largest in the family of galagos.

Physical characteristics

This species has a rounded head with a short, wide snout, very large ears and relatively small eyes. The thick fur is very variable in color, depending on the subspecies: some have a grayish fur with a light brown tail tip, others a dark brown fur with a black tip.^[3] The lighter colored animals mainly occur in dryer, low-lying areas, while the darker animals live in higher, wetter territories.

The brown greater galago has a head-and-body length of 26 to 47 cm (32 cm on average), a tail length of 29 to 55 cm, and a weight of 0.5 to 2 kg. On average females weigh 1.2 kg (2.6 lb), and males 1.4 kg (3.1 lb).^[3]

Distribution

This species is common in Southern and East Africa. The largest populations are found in Angola, Tanzania, southern Kenya and the coast of Somalia.

Behavior

The brown greater galago is a nocturnal animal.^[3] During the day, it rests in a hollow tree or in dense vegetation. Its diet consists of fruit (like berries, figs), seeds, acacia gum, flowers, insects, slugs, reptiles and small birds.

The species lives in small groups in a territory of a few hectares. The territory is marked by urine and a scent produced in a gland in the chest.^[3]

Subspecies

Two subspecies of Otolemur crassicaudatus are recognised:^[1]

• O. c. crassicaudatus
• O. c. kirkii

The IUCN considers the silvery greater galago as a third subspecies, O. c. monteiri.^[2] Other sources treat it as a separate species, though with "misgivings".^[4] The IUCN Red List assesses all three forms individually as Least Concern.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Groves, C. (2005). "Otolemur crassicaudatus". In Wilson, D. E., & Reeder, D. M, eds. Mammal Species of the World (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 126. OCLC 62265494. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3/browse.asp?id=12100152. 
2. ^ ^{a b} Bearder, S. (2008). Otolemur crassicaudatus. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 1 January 2009.
3. ^ ^{a b c d} Flannery, Sean (2007-04-01). "Greater Galago (Otolemur crassicaudatus)". The Primata. http://www.theprimata.com/otolemur_crassicaudatus.html. Retrieved 8 August 2010. 
4. ^ Groves, C. (2005). "Otolemur monteiri". In Wilson, D. E., & Reeder, D. M, eds. Mammal Species of the World (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. OCLC 62265494. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3/browse.asp?id=12100160.