Blue-mouthed monkey
| Blue-mouthed monkey | ||||||||||||
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Blue-mouthed monkey ( Cercopithecus cephus ) |
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| Cercopithecus cephus | ||||||||||||
| ( Linnaeus , 1758) |
The blue-mouthed monkey ( Cercopithecus cephus ) is a species of primate from the genus of the monkeys ( Cercopithecus ) within the family of the vervet monkeys (Cercopithecidae).
features
The fur of the blue-mouthed monkey is colored green-brown on the upper side, the underside is lighter, almost whitish. Noticeable features on the face are the white stripe of the upper lip, the white-yellow whiskers and the blue color of the face around the eyes. These animals reach an average head body length of 52 centimeters, to which a 70 centimeter long tail comes. The average weight is 4 kilograms, but the males are significantly heavier than the females.
distribution and habitat
The blue-mouthed monkeys are native to central Africa from Cameroon to Gabon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to northern Angola . Their habitat are forests, predominantly tropical rainforests. They are relatively common and are not endangered species.
Way of life
Blue-mouthed monkeys are diurnal tree dwellers. They live in groups made up of a male, several females and their offspring. Males also sometimes form bachelor groups. The diet of these animals consists primarily of fruits, and they also consume seeds, leaves, small animals and eggs.
After a gestation period of around five and a half months, the female usually gives birth to a single young. The mother takes care of the young animal for around a year, which becomes sexually mature at four to five years of age.
literature
- Thomas Geissmann : Comparative Primatology. Springer-Verlag, Berlin et al. 2003, ISBN 3-540-43645-6 .
Web links
- Information on the Animal Diversity Web
- Cercopithecus cephus in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2006 Posted by: T. Butynski & Members of the Primate Specialist Group, 2000. Accessed June 23 of 2008.