SPECIES - Galagoides thomasi (Elliot, 1907)
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  • Description
  • Taxonomy
  • Calls
  • Distribution
  • Habitat
  • Conservation
  • References
thomasiAshy brown, with a generally pale face, large ears and prominent eye patches (Kingdon 1997). Groves (2001) further described museum specimens from Kivu and Uganda as very large (139-150, n = 5) (unclear if tail is excluded, most likely though (J. Karlsson pers. comm.), with large ears (27-35 mm) and a prominent deep gray-black overlay to the generally reddish fur. Diagnostic advertising call of a crescendo type where the difference from G. demidovii lies in the relatively short, rapid crescendos given in multiples with a higher speed and pitch (Ambrose and Bearder 2006). Further G. thomasi differ from G. demidovii with an additional trill vocalization and the lack of the typical buzz call displayed by the latter (Groves 2001).

Body measurements:

  • Head and body: 146 (123-166) mm
  • Tail: 261 (150-233) mm
  • Weight: 99 (55-149) g
Common name: Thomas’s Dwarf Galago

Type locality: Fort Beni, Semliki River, Zaire (DRC)

First described as a subspecies to G. demidovii (Elliot 1907, Nash et al. 1989) G. thomasi was resurrected by Olson (1979) and its species status is now established (Groves 2001, Grubb et al. 2003).
Through vocal recognition this species has been described to occur in the forests of Ivory Coast (Tai National Park), Bioko (Moka), Cameroon (Ebom, Dja Reserve, Lobeké Reserve, Korup, Mt Kupe), and Gabon (Makokou, Makandé, Franceville, Gamba) (Bearder et al. 1995, Ambrose and Perkin 2002, unpublished data of L. Ambrose, S. Bearder, T. Butynski, and J. Kingdon). Museum specimens are only confirmed from eastern DRC and Uganda (Groves 2001).

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


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Distribution polygon data compiled by Bearder (2008). Shapefile downloaded from www.iucnredlist.org.
Found in subtropical/tropical montane and lowland dry and moist evergreen forests of both primary and secondary character. Occupy all strata of the forest but populations sympatric with G. demidovii tend to prefer the canopy. It is omnivourous but the staple diet usually contains of insects (Kingdon 1971).

kibaleFR

Picture:  Kibale Forest Reserve, Uganda, home to a population of G. thomasi.
IUCN Category: Least concern (ver 3.1)

Listed on Appendix II of CITES

No major threats are recorded for this species and it occurs in several protected. Local populations face threats posed by deforestation and conversion to agricultural land areas (Bearder 2008).

Ambrose L & Bearder 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.

Ambrose, L., and Perkin, A. W. (2002). A survey of nocturnal prosimians at Moca on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea. Afr. Primates 4(1, 2): 4–10.

Bearder, S. 2008. Galagoides thomasi. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 13 May 2012.

Bearder SK, Honess PE, & Ambrose L (1995) Species diversity among galagos with special reference to mate recognition. Creatures of the dark : the nocturnal prosimians, eds Alterman L, Doyle GA, & Izard MK (Plenum Press, New York), pp 331-352.

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.

Groves CP (2001) Primate taxonomy (Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington [D.C.]) pp viii, 350 p.

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

Kingdon J (1971) The Prosimians. East African mammals : an atlas of evolution in Africa, ed Kingdon JLondon), pp 272-327.

Kingdon J (1997) Galagos or bushbabies. The Kingdon field guide to African mammals, ed Kingdon J (Academic Press, San Diego ; London), pp 93-110.

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).
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