Interspecific differences and discrimination of auditory and olfactory signals ofGalago crassicaudatus andGalago garnettii

  • Anne Barrett Clark
Article
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Revised:

Abstract

Although morphological, genetic, and reproductive differences between the two recently separated species, Galago crassicaudatusand G. garnettii,have been documented, social and ecological distinctions are much less well known The calls and chest glands used in scent marking differ. Observational data on calling and answering between species and experimental results on responses to conspecific and allospecific scent from captive galagos at the Duke University Primate Facility showed that members of both species preferentially responded to conspecific signals. The differences in the signals themselves suggest some contrasts in habitat and social patterns. They may also have direct taxonomic implications, but these are not yet clear. Awareness of these differences in signals should allow us to determine from descriptions of calls, skin glands, and behavior which species were subjects in reports published before this taxonomic revision.

Key Words

Galago communication prosimian systematics species recognition 
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Copyright information

© Plenum Publishing Corporation 1988

Authors and Affiliations

  • Anne Barrett Clark
    • 1
  1. 1.Kellogg Biological StationMichigan State UniversityMichigan

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