SPECIES - G. demidovii (Fischer, 1806)
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  • Description
  • Taxonomy
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demidovii
Highly variable morphological appearance, both in color and size, even within restricted localities (Groves 2001).  From a foxy red and more reddish pelage in the West African populations to a gingery red-brown in the Central African populations (Groves 2001). Found parapatric with G. thomasi in the Uganda-Kivu region. Very difficult to distinguish between these two taxa through morphological characters (Groves 2001) but they display some variation in vocalizations that is useful for species identification (Groves (2001).

Most of the diet comprises invertebrates, mainly beetles, moths and caterpillars; also some fruit and a small amount of gum, leaves and buds (Charles-Dominique 1977).

Body measurements:

  • Head and body (male): 159 (140-169) mm, n = 6
  • Head and body (female): 150 (143-155) mm, n = 3
  • Weight (male): 60 (52-72) g, n = 17
  • Weight (female): 55 (45-68) g, n = 16

Common name: Demidoff's Dwarf Galago

Type locality: Senegal

The nomenclature of this species has varied from author to author (Grubb et al. 2003). Placed originally in the Galago genus (Fischer 1806, Schwarz 1931, Groves 2001), Hill (1953) recognized Galagoides and this is maintained in current taxonomy (Grubb et al. 2003). The spelling “demidoff” where introduced only in recent years (Grubb et al. 2003; and references therein) but the valid name is demidovii. Current taxonomy recognizes no subspecies but the taxon is considered polytypic and most likely consists of several species/subspecies over its range distribution (Groves 2001; Grubb et al. 2003).

Extract from Bearder (2008):


“This species has been recorded from Sierra Leone in the west through southern parts of West Africa and throughout Central Africa, to possibly as far east as north of Lake Victoria in Uganda and Tanzania, west of Lake Victoria. It is found as far south as the southern Congo Basin (Democratic Republic of the Congo) and Lunda District (Angola), and possibly as far south as the Lukuga River in the east. Widely sympatric with Galagoides thomasi.”

Map: Pink areas illustrate the current estimated distribution of G. demidovii.


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Distribution polygon data compiled by Bearder (2008). Shapefile downloaded from www.iucnredlilst.org.

Extract from Bearder (2008):


This species is associated with the understory of secondary forest and forest edge habitats. It is also present in primary tropical moist forest, particularly in tree-fall zones.

IUCN Category: Least Concern (ver 3.1)


Listed on Appendix II of CITES

It occurs in several protected areas. Thrives in disturbed areas and able to live in association with human activity. Only the sub-species on Bioko Island have a limited distribution.

Ambrose L & Beader SK (2006) The biogeographic status of Thomas's and Demidoff's dwarf galagos (Galagoides thomasi, Elliot 1907; Galagoides demidoff, Fischer 1806) in West and Central Africa.  (Oxford), pp 1-12.

Bearder, S. 2008. Galagoides demidovii. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 01 May 2012.

Elliot DG (1907) Descriptions if apparently new species and subspecies of mammals belonging to the families Lemuridae, Cebidae, Callitrichidae, and Cercopithecidae in the collection of the Natural History Museum. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 20(7):185-196.

Fischer von Waldheim, G.  1806.  Nouvelles espèces d’animaux qui se trouvent au Muséum Imperial d’Histoire Naturelle. Mém. Soc. Nat. Moscou 1: 23-26.

Grubb P, et al. (2003) Assessment of the diversity of African primates. International Journal of Primatology 24(6):1301-1357.

Hill WCO (1953) Family II - Galagidae. Primates : comparative anatomy and taxonomy, ed Hill WCO (At the University Press, Edinburgh), pp 95-259.

Honess P & Bearder SK (1996) Descriptions of the dwarf galago species of Tanzania. African Primates 2:75-79.

Nash LT, Bearder SK, & Olson TR (1989) Synopsis of galago species characteristics. International Journal of Primatology 10(1):57-80.

Olson TR (1979) Studies on aspects of the morphology and systematics of the genus Otolemur. PhD thesis PhD Thesis (University of London, London).

Schwarz, E.  1931.  On the African long-tailed lemurs or galagos. Annual Magazine of Natural History 7: 41-66.
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