Galagoides fossil map
Where fossils of Galagoides have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 0 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 0 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Early mammals |
|---|---|
| Lived | 3.6 million years ago to the present (Piacenzian to Holocene) |
| Periods | Neogene, Quaternary |
| Family | Galagidae |
| Named by | Smith 1833 |
| Fossil records | 6 occurrences at 3 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | DR Congo, Ethiopia |
| Rock formations | txn:90334, Shungura |
About Galagoides
The western dwarf galagos are a group of three species of strepsirrhine primates, native to western and central Africa. They are classified in the genus Galagoides of the family Galagidae. The eastern dwarf galagos (P. cocos, P. granti, P. orinus, P. rondoensis, and P. zanzibaricus) have been moved to their own genus, Paragalago, based on genetic evidence and differences in vocalization. The two genera are not sister taxa and thus may have evolved their small sizes via parallel evolution. They are separated by the East African Rift.
The first genus to be introduced to scientific literature was Galago by Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire. The genus was based on a smaller species from West Africa. Later, the genus Galagoides was introduced by Sir Andrew Smith in 1833. Smith wanted to differentiate the dwarf (Gd. demidovii) and the lesser galagos from the 'true galagos.' Otolemur was later introduced to indicate the greater galagos by Coquerel in 1859. Before the 21st century, three new dwarf galagos were recognized as species.
The day-sleeping nests may be shared by groups of females or occasionally by visiting males.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Western dwarf galago (revision 1376837062), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q3094482.
