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Species differences in substrate use and diet between sympatric galagos in two Kenyan coastal forests

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Abstract

Two sympatric species of galago,Galago zanzibaricus andG. garnettii, differed significantly in diet (judged mainly by fecal analysis) and substrate use at each of two coastal forest sites in Kenya. The larger-bodiedG. garnettii tended to use branches of a bigger diameter and to be found higher in the canopy than the smallerG. zanzibaricus. The latter species spent most of its time in the thick undergrowth. The larger species ate more fruit than the smaller. There were differences between the species in the type of invertebrate prey remains found in the feces. It is suggested that the differences in habitat use were influenced by the different body sizes of the two galagos, which so enabled these closely related species to coexist.

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Harcourt, C.S., Nash, L.T. Species differences in substrate use and diet between sympatric galagos in two Kenyan coastal forests. Primates 27, 41–52 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02382521

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