This species has a wide distribution, ranging from northern Namibia and Angola, eastwards through south-eastern Democatic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, Zimbabwe and northern Botswana to western Tanzania, Malawi, eastern Mozambique and the northern and north-eastern parts of South Africa. The northern limits of the distribution range of this species are not well defined; although the range as shown here includes Rwanda and Burundi, where their presence requires confirmation.

There are two subspecies: G. m. moholi ranges from the eastern part of the species distribution to south-eastern Botswana, and is found throughout Zambia and intergrades with G. m. bradfieldi in the Western Province of Zambia; G. m. bradfieldi has been recorded from the Waterberg, Namibia, northwards into southern Angola, and eastwards to northern and northeastern Botswana and the Makgadikgadi Pan, and the Western Province of Zambia (Meester et al. 1986).

Galago moholi is found in southern Africa from Angola to Tanzania, including Zimbabwe, the Transvaal, and parts of Burundi and Rwanda.

Biogeographic Regions: ethiopian (Native )

South African galagos are small prosimians with a head and body length of 14 to 17 cm. Males are larger, from 160 to 255 g, females are from 142 to 229 g. They have grey to light brown fur that lightens and takes on a yellowish tinge on the limbs and ventral surface. They have extremely large ears that have four transverse ridges that allow the tips to be bent down almost all the way to the base. The ears can be moved independently and are thought to be among the largest ears, proportionate to body size, of all primates. South African galagos have huge orange eyes that are surrounded by a dark mask of fur. The tail is an average of 11 to 28 cm and is dark in color. Galago moholi has the tooth comb and grooming claw typical of Strepsirrhini. In their ear canal the tympanic ring is fused with the lateral wall, like other galagos and lorises. They have longer hindlimbs than forelimbs with an intermembral index of 54 which makes them well adapted for vertical clinging and leaping. South African galagos have a chromosome number of 38.

Range mass: M: 160 F: 142 to M: 255 F:229 g.

Average mass: M: 211 F: 188 g.

Range length: 140 to 177 mm.

Average length: 160 mm.

Average basal metabolic rate: .2850W cm^3 oxygen/hour.

Other Physical Features: endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry

Sexual Dimorphism: sexes alike; male larger

Average basal metabolic rate: 0.285 W.

Habitat and Ecology

Systems

• Terrestrial

South African galagos inhabit semi-arid woodlands, savanna woodlands, gallery forests, and the edges of wooded areas. They are often associated with Acacia trees, the exudates of which are dietary staple. South African galagos can be found at all levels of a forest canopy, often resting and breeding in the holes of Acacia trees and the hollowed out trunks of mopane (Colophospermum mopane) trees.

Habitat Regions: temperate ; tropical ; terrestrial

Terrestrial Biomes: savanna or grassland ; forest

Other Habitat Features: riparian

South African galagos eat exclusively arthropods and tree exudates. Arthropods, including butterflies, moths and beetles, comprise the majority of the diet. Acacia gums also play a large role in the diet, especially those from Acacia karroo, Acacia tortilis, and Acacia nilotica. Plant exudates are scraped from the tree using the tooth-scraper on the lower mandible on nightly visits. Gums are released when moth and beetle larvae bore beneath the bark of the Acacia trees. Gums are available year round and are often relied upon more heavily during the winter months or in times of reduced insect availability. Galago moholi posses physical adaptations for eating plant gums, including a rough, narrow tongue capable of harvesting gums from insect holes and tree crevices, well developed tooth-scrapers and a proportionally large cecum and hindgut to digest complex carbohydrates. Galago moholi is a caeco-ansal fermenter with the cecum, proximal colon, and ansa coli each providing distinct chambers for fermentation. Gums get digested in the fluid phase and get fermented more quickly that other, more high quality, foods like insects. This allows South African galagos to consume a relatively nutrient poor diet.

Animal Foods: reptiles; insects

Plant Foods: sap or other plant fluids

Primary Diet: carnivore (Insectivore ); herbivore (Eats sap or other plant foods)

South African galagos eat insects and provide food for large birds of prey and mid-sized mammalian predators.

South African galagos are preyed on by large birds, including eagles and owls, as well as snakes, mongooses, and civets and genets. They protect themselves from predation by nesting in tree holes and being active at night. Research suggests that Galago moholi lack seasonal torpor (heterothermy) to maximize reproductive success in a high predator environment. South African galagos avoid predation with warning calls among group members and agile leaping.

Known Predators:

• eagles (Accipitridae)
• owls (Strigiformes)
• genets and civets (Viverrinae)
• snakes (Serpentes)
• mongooses (Herpestidae)

Anti-predator Adaptations: cryptic

While generally living in small family groups, South African galagos communicate with one another over long distances using loud calls. These calls are thought to maintain contact within a group, advertise territory, or serve as an alarm. If an alarm call is heard other South African galagos join in and even mob the potential predator. Young call to their mothers using a clicking sound. South African galagos also employ olfactory modes of communication by "urine washing" their hands and feet. This behavior is more common in dominant males. It is also possible that the urine on the foot pads helps them to grip branches more easily. They also use allogrooming in social interactions.

Communication Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical

Other Communication Modes: scent marks

Perception Channels: visual ; acoustic

South African galagos have a maximum recorded lifespan of 16.6 years.

Range lifespan

Status: wild: 16.6 (high) years.

Average lifespan

Status: captivity: 16.6 years.

Maximum longevity: 16.6 years (captivity)

South African galagos have a polygynous mating system with territory of dominant males overlapping that of several females. Females have a brief estrous period, lasting 1 to 3 days, during which males become highly competitive, increasing their home range, body weight, and testes volume. Males appear to fall into two distinct mating strategy groups, larger and more dominant males who monopolize females with repeated matings and smaller males who are more opportunistic. Larger males procure more successful matings. Female G. moholi exhibit estrus swellings and do not have synchronized fertility.

Mating System: polygynous ; polygynandrous (promiscuous)

South African galago females and males become sexually mature around 300 days old. There are two mating seasons a year corresponding to births between January and February and between October and November. South African galagos may give birth to 2 sets of twins a year. Females construct nests in which to give birth to and raise their offspring. They may make their own, open-topped nest, or take over an uninhabited bird nest, mat of foliage, or tree hollow. After a 121 to 124 day gestation period, females give birth to offspring weighing approximately 10 grams that have their eyes open and are furred. Females give birth to a single offspring at their first pregnancy, then produce twins in subsequent litters. The mother carries the babies by the scruff of their necks for the first 50 days. Weaning occurs after approximately 93 days.

Breeding interval: South African galagos breed twice yearly.

Breeding season: South African galagos typically give birth once between January and February and again between October and November.

Range number of offspring: 1 to 2.

Average number of offspring: 2.

Range gestation period: 121 to 124 days.

Average gestation period: 123 days.

Average birth mass: 10.6 g.

Average weaning age: 93 days.

Average time to independence: 50 days.

Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 300 days.

Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 300 days.

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

Average birth mass: 10.6 g.

Average number of offspring: 2.

Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male)

Sex: male: 300 days.

Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female)

Sex: female: 300 days.

The young are born furred and have open eyes at birth. They stay in the nest for the first 10 to 11 days. In captivity the babies are capable of clinging to branches within the first day and begin walking in a few days. Females nurse their offspring for about 11 weeks though young may begin to catch insects at 4 weeks of age. Mothers park their infants in tree forks or tangles of vegetation while they forage. The offspring will cling quietly and unmoving for up to three hours, being checked on occasionally by the mother. If the infant is in danger or left alone too long it will emit distress calls which quickly summon the mother. The female will carry the offspring to a safer location if she senses threat. After 10 months young South African galagos reach sexual maturity at which point males will emigrate. Females often stay with their mothers longer. Males do not directly participate in caring for the offspring.

Parental Investment: precocial ; pre-fertilization (Provisioning, Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-independence (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); post-independence association with parents

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 0
Species: 1
Species With Barcodes: 1

South African galagos are on Appendix II of CITES which indicates they are currently at low risk for extinction and the IUCN Red List indicates they have a stable population without major threats. In fact, the range of G. moholi is expanding in some areas.

US Federal List: no special status

CITES: appendix ii

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern

Population

Population Trend

Major Threats

Conservation Actions

There are no known adverse effects of Galago moholi on humans.

South African galagos benefit humans economically by bringing researchers and ecotourists to regions they inhabit. They may reduce insect pest populations.

Positive Impacts: ecotourism ; research and education; controls pest population