Demidoff-Galago
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Demidoff's Galago ( Galagoides demidoff ) |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Galagoides demidoff | ||||||||||||
| ( G. Fischer , 1806) |
The Demidoff galago or Demidoff dwarf galago ( Galagoides demidoff , syn .: Galago demidoff ) is a species of primate from the family of the Galagos (Galagonidae). The specific epithet honors the Russian magnate and patron of the sciences Paul de Demidoff .
features
Demidoff's dwarf galagos are among the smallest primates that live on the African mainland. They reach a head body length of 7 to 16 centimeters, in addition there is a 11 to 22 centimeter long tail. The weight is 45 to 100 grams. Their fur is colored reddish-brown on the upper side, the underside is lighter. The hind legs are elongated, as are the tarsus of the hind feet. The tail is longer than the body, but not bushy. The head is narrow, the snout is pointed. A white stripe runs between the large eyes, the large ears are hairless and very mobile.
distribution and habitat
Demidoff's Galagos are native to large parts of western and central Africa , their range extends from Senegal to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda . Their habitat are forests, whereby they can often be found in the understory of secondary forests .
Way of life
Like all Galagos, these primates are nocturnal and usually stay in the trees. During the day they sleep in a leaf nest, at night they go in search of food. They move primarily on all fours, walking or running on branches and only make short jumps.
They live predominantly solitary and, in contrast to other Galagos, they usually sleep alone. The territories of the males cover 0.5 to 2.7 hectares, they are very aggressive and vehemently defend their territory against other members of their sex. The territories of the females are smaller with 0.6 to 1.4 hectares, the territory of one male can overlap that of several females.
food
The diet of the Demidoff Galagos consists mainly of insects such as beetles , moths and caterpillars . To a lesser extent, they consume fruit and tree sap.
Reproduction
Usually once a year the female gives birth to a young after a gestation period of around 110 to 115 days, twins are rare. When the mother goes looking for food, she carries the newborns out of the nest and hides them in thick vegetation so that they can later be carried back to the nest. After a month the young can follow the mother, but are still carried at times. They are weaned after about two months, mature at six months and sexually mature at eight to ten months.
Life expectancy is around six years, in human care they can live up to 13 years.
threat
Even if they suffer from the destruction of their habitat in some places, Demidoff's Galagos are a widespread and non-threatened species. The IUCN lists them as "not endangered" ( least concern ).
The species is no longer kept in Europe, former owners are Berlin, Darmstadt, Dresden, Frankfurt, Duisburg, Halle, Cologne, Wuppertal, Antwerp, London, Manchester, Paignton and Trinity.
literature
- Thomas Geissmann : Comparative Primatology. Springer-Verlag, Berlin et al. 2002, ISBN 3-540-43645-6 .
- Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World. 6th edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 1999, ISBN 0-8018-5789-9 .
- Don E. Wilson, DeeAnn M. Reeder (Eds.): Mammal Species of the World. A taxonomic and geographic Reference. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2005, ISBN 0-8018-8221-4 .
supporting documents
Web links
- Information on Animal Diversity Web
- Galagoides demidoff in the Red List of Threatened Species of the IUCN 2008. Posted by: S. Bearder, 2008. Accessed on 27 1st of 2009.