Northern needle-clawed galagos are covered in reddish-brown fur with streaks of gray, especially on their arms, neck, and long bushy tails. They have a distinct dark stripe that runs along their back, called a dorsal stripe. Their belly tends to be paler, almost a dirty-yellow color. This type of contrasting coloration is a camouflage technique called countershading. When viewed from above, perhaps by an eagle, the galago blends into the dark brown trees. When viewed from below, by a leopard, their lighter fur blends in with the bright sky, clouds, and reflections on the leaves.

Galagos are most identifiable by their large round eyes and pointed fox-like ears. Needle-clawed galagos have dark eye-rings that frame their eyes, which are a bright orange-golden color. The best way to spot galagos in the wild is to use a flashlight at night and look in the trees for the bright red-pink reflection from their eyes. The reason for this reflection is a structure in their eyes called “tapetum lucidum,” which acts like a mirror, reflecting available light back to the sensitive visual nerve cells in their eyes, improving their night vision.

The needle-clawed galago genus, Euoticus, has a unique feature on their hands and feet. On four fingers of each hand, they have long, keeled (curved like a boat) nails that have a ridge or bump that runs along the length of the nail. The thumb lacks this long nail and instead has shorter claw-like nails.  And on each foot, three toes have long nails (similar to those on their fingers). The big toe on each foot has a shorter claw-like nail. The second toe on each foot has a modified claw which grows at an angle, called a toilet-claw.  Galagos use the toilet-claw to groom themselves to get rid of parasites and dirt.