Galagonidae Skull Replica measures 1.7 inches. Galagonidae Skull is museum quality polyurethane cast. Made in USA. Cast of an original California Academy of Sciences. 2-part skull (separate cranium and jaw). Known as the Bush Baby.
Galagonidae or nagapies meaning “little night monkeys” are small nocturnal primates native to continental, sub-Sahara Africa.
The skulls of Galagonidae are lightly built with a globular braincase and without strongly developed temporal ridges. The facial region is reduced. The orbits are directed more to the sides than in lorids.
Their postorbital processes and zygomatic arches are slender, and the bullae are considerably inflated.
The zygomatic branch of the squamosal lies entirely anterior to the external auditory meatus; and the palate usually ends behind the second rather than the third upper molar.
The Galagonidae have large eyes that give them good night vision in addition to other characteristics, like strong hind limbs, acute hearing, and long tails that help them balance.
Their ears are bat-like and allow them to track insects in the dark. They catch insects on the ground or snatch them out of the air.
The Galagonidae are fast, agile creatures. As they bound through the thick bushes, they fold their delicate ears back to protect them. They also fold them during rest.
They have nails on most of their digits, except for the second toe of the hind foot, which bears a grooming claw.
Their diet is a mixture of insects and other small animals, fruit, and tree gums. They have comb-like incisors called tooth combs.
The Galagonidae have remarkable jumping abilities. In mid-flight, they tuck their arms and legs close to the body; they are then brought out at the last second to grab the branch. In a series of leaps, Bush Baby or Galagos senegalensis can cover ten yards in mere seconds.
The tail, which is longer than the length of the head and body combined, assists the powerful leg muscles in powering the jumps.
Galagonidae communicate both by calling to each other, and by marking their paths with urine. By following the scent of urine, they can land on exactly the same branch every time.
All species of galago produce species-specific ‘loud calls”. One function is long-distance identification and differentiation of individual species.
At the end of the night, group members use a special rallying call and gather to sleep in a nest made of leaves, a group of branches, or a hole in a tree.
Galagonidae reproduce twice a year, at the beginning of the rains (November) and the end (February). They are polygynous, and the females raise their young in nests made from leaves.
They have 1 – 2 babies per litter, with gestation period being 110 – 120 days. Bush babies are born with half-closed eyes, unable to move about independently.
After a few days, the mother carries the infant Bushbaby in her mouth, and leaves it on convenient branches while feeding.
Adult females maintain territories, but share them with their offspring. Males leave their mothers’ territories after puberty, but females remain, forming social groups consisting of closely related females and their immature young.
Adult male Galagonidae maintain separate territories, which overlap with those of the female social groups; generally, one adult male mates with all the females in an area. Males who have not established such territories sometimes form small bachelor groups.
