This species ranges from the Juba River in southern Somalia, southwards along the East African coast to the Ruvuma River, Tanzania, and inland from here to the Kenya highlands. The southernmost locality is Milo on the northern end of Lake Malawi. This species is present on Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia Islands, Tanzania. It may be present in Mozambique, but there are no confirmed records. There is also no indication that the species occurs in Malawi (Ansell and Dowsett 1988). Recorded up to 2,500 m (Olson 1979). Sympatric with Galagoides zanzibaricus, Galagoides cocos, Galago senegalensis, Galagoides granti and Otolemur crassicaudatus (T. Butynski and Y. de Jong pers. comm.).

There are four subspecies: O. g. garnettii appears to be restricted to Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia Islands; O. g. panganiensis is present in Tanzania from the Mozambique border in the south to Tanga, Mount Kilimanjaro and Lake Manyara in the north; O. g. lasiotis ranges northwards from Tanga in Tanzania, along the Kenyan coastline to the Juba River in Somalia; it is also present in the Taita Hills and Kibwezi (north of Mount Kilimanjaro); and the subspecies O. g. kikuyuensis is restricted to the Kenyan highlands east of the Rift Valley (Nairobi, Aberdares and Mt Kenya).

Otolemur garnettii is also known as the small-eared galago or Garnett’s greater galago. This species is found in East Africa, ranging from the southern half of Somalia to Tanzania (Bearder et al., 2003) and on the island of Zanzibar (Groves, 2001).

Biogeographic Regions: ethiopian (Native )

Otolemur garnettii are relatively small members of the genus Otolemur, with short ears. They were once considered subspecies of Otolemur crassicaudatus. Average ear length is 45 mm compared to the larger ear length of 62 mm in O. crassicaudatus (Rowe, 1996).

Small-eared galago males are only slightly larger than females. Adult males weigh an average of 794 grams, females weigh 734 grams (Fleagle, 1999). Otolemur garnettii has a thick and bushy tail that is longer than its entire body. Total body length averages 266 mm and tail length averages 364 mm (Rowe, 1996).

Small-eared galagos can be recognized by the red to gray-brown color of their pelage and by the presence of a brown, white, or black tip on their tail (Rowe, 1996). Their faces are uniformly colored (Groves, 2001). There are four subspecies of small-eared galagos that can be distinguished by the coloration of their fur (Groves, 2001). Otolemur garnettii garnettii has slightly greenish tones in its red-brown fur, the yellow color of its underside, and the presence of black tip on the last half of its tail. Otolemur garnettii panganiensis lacks green tones in its pelage and only possesses a black tip on the last quarter of its tail. Otolemur garnettii lasiotis is more gray than O. g. garnettii and tends to have a white-tipped tail. Otolemur garnettii kikuyuensis is characterized by its yellow-white underside, an iron gray pelage, and a black tip on the last quarter of its tail (Groves, 2001).

Range mass: 721 to 822 g.

Range length: 230 to 338 mm.

Average length: 266 mm.

Other Physical Features: endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry ; polymorphic

Sexual Dimorphism: male larger

Average basal metabolic rate: 3.927 W.

Habitat and Ecology

Systems

• Terrestrial

Middle to high canopies in coastal, riverine, and highland forests form the natural habitat for small-eared galagos. They are also found in farmland plantations.

Average elevation: 5 m.

Habitat Regions: tropical ; terrestrial

Terrestrial Biomes: forest ; scrub forest

Other Habitat Features: agricultural

Small-eared galagos primarily feed on fruit and insects. About half of their diet is composed of fruit and half is composed of insects (Nash and Harcourt, 1986).

Animal Foods: insects

Plant Foods: fruit

Primary Diet: omnivore

Small-eared galagos may have an important ecological role in the forests of East Africa because they eat fruit and insects. They may serve as seed dispersers for a variety of plant species, thus influencing the plant composition of the ecosystem.

Ecosystem Impact: disperses seeds

The most likely predators of small-eared galagos are genets (Genetta tigrina) and puff adders (Vipera nikolskii) (Nash, 1983).

Known Predators:

• genets (Genetta tigrina)
• adders (Vipera nikolskii)

Members of both sexes frequently use vocal communication. Vocalizations can even be used to distinguish between the individuals of this species. Their most notable call may be heard from 400 feet away and lasts for 4 to 5 seconds, longer than the calls of O. crassicaudatus (Rowe, 1996). Researchers have been able to group different calls based on their function and have observed alarm calls, sex calls, distress calls in response to fear, and infant click calls that elicit contact from the mother. Foot-rubbing may even be used for communication. Individuals rub their feet against another material and vary the intensity of the sound they produce. This behavior produces a sound that is not different from background noise, so foot-rubbing may allow small-eared galagos to communicate with conspecifics without alerting predators (Hagar, 2001). Small-eared galago males have been observed using foot-rubbing during aggressive encounters with other males.

Other forms of communication include the use olfactory signals. Otolemur garnettii has been observed to engage in urine washing, which it accomplishes by urinating on its hands and then rubbing the urine on the bottom of its feet. This behavior allows galagos to leave their scent on everything they touch. Males seem to engage in urine washing more often than females (Tandy, 1976). In addition to marking their scent on objects, individuals can communicate by sniffing one another.

Communication Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical

Other Communication Modes: pheromones ; scent marks

Perception Channels: visual ; acoustic

Small-eared galagos can live for up to 15 years (Bearder, 1987).

Range lifespan

Status: captivity: 15 (high) years.

Average lifespan

Status: captivity: 14.0 years.

Average lifespan

Sex: female

Status: captivity: 15.0 years.

Average lifespan

Sex: male

Status: captivity: 15.7 years.

Maximum longevity: 18.3 years (captivity) Observations: One specimen lived 18.3 years in captivity (Richard Weigl 2005).

The O. garnettii mating system is usually described as promiscuous, as both males and females have multiple mates. The act of mating in this species can take up to 120 minutes. It has been suggested that the extremely long duration of mating in this species is one way that males guard females from other males (Rowe, 1996).

Mating System: polygynandrous (promiscuous)

In the wild, O. garnettii has been observed breeding seasonally once each year between August and October (Nash and Harcourt, 1986). Captive populations can give birth throughout the year, which indicates that females have a continuous estrus cycle (Masters et al., 1988). Females usually give birth to one infant and members of both sexes reach sexual maturity when they are about 20 months old (Nash and Harcourt, 1986). Weaning occurs after approximately 140 days (Rowe, 1996).

Breeding interval: In the wild, breeding occurs once every year, usually between August and October.

Breeding season: Mating can occur throughout the year.

Average number of offspring: 1.

Range gestation period: 130 to 135 days.

Average gestation period: 130 days.

Average weaning age: 140 days.

Average time to independence: 4-5 weeks.

Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 12 (low) months.

Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 20 months.

Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 12 (low) months.

Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 20 months.

Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); viviparous

Average birth mass: 46 g.

Average number of offspring: 1.

Parental investment seems to be provided only by mothers. They carry infants in their mouths but leave them while foraging (Rowe, 1996). Before weaning, mothers provide offspring with high-energy milk and protect them from predators and other dangers.

Parental Investment: pre-fertilization (Provisioning, Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-independence (Provisioning: Female)

The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species. 

 
There is 1 barcode sequence available from BOLD and GenBank.   Below is the sequence of the barcode region Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI or COX1) from a member of the species.  See the BOLD taxonomy browser for more complete information about this specimen.  Other sequences that do not yet meet barcode criteria may also be available.
 

Download FASTA File

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 1
Species: 2
Species With Barcodes: 1

Small-eared galagos are labeled as “lower risk” on the IUCN redlist and on Appendix II of CITES to limit international trade of this species.

US Federal List: no special status

CITES: appendix ii

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern

Population

Population Trend

Major Threats

Conservation Actions

Small-eared galagos have no negative economic impact on humans.

Otolemur garnettii individuals are important members of the ecosystems in which they live and they may help in ecotourism ventures.

Positive Impacts: ecotourism