Gold blunt nose
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Gold blunt noses ( Rhinopithecus roxellana ) |
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| Rhinopithecus roxellana | ||||||||||||
| ( Milne Edwards , 1870) |
The golden snub nose ( Rhinopithecus roxellana ) is a species of primate from the group of the slender monkeys (Presbytini). It lives in mountainous forests in central China and is one of the most cold-tolerant primate species.
features
The head body length of the gold blunt noses varies from 48 to 68 centimeters, the tail is as long as the body or longer. Males are larger than females and also become significantly heavier: females weigh an average of around 11 to 12 kilograms, while males can reach 18 to 20 kilograms. Depending on the season and habitat, however, significant weight fluctuations are possible.
The trunk and the limbs of these monkeys are reddish-yellow in color, whereby the coloration can vary from brownish to light orange. The back and tail are dark brown, a stripe on the head and shoulders are black. The fur of these animals is relatively long for primates at 5 to 8 centimeters, in males a mane-like, golden-yellow hair grows on the back with age, whereby the hair can be up to half a meter long. The muzzle is white and hairless, the region around the eyes is light blue. Like all blunt noses , they are characterized by a short snub nose, the openings of which are directed forward. In adult males, wart-like growths grow in the corners of the mouth. These outgrowths do not occur in any other primate species; their function is not known.
distribution and habitat
Gold blunt noses are endemic to China . They live in Sichuan , Gansu , Hubei and Shaanxi provinces . The habitat of this species are mountainous conifers - or mixed forests, they occur at altitudes between 1200 and 3300 meters. Their habitat is often covered with snow for several months in winter, these animals are among the most cold-tolerant of all primates. In the colder regions of its range, such as the Shennongjia Forest or the Qinling Mountains, the average temperature in winter can be −8 ° C to −4 ° C, in summer, however, 22 ° C to 24 ° C.
Way of life
Activity times and movement
Like all Old World monkeys , golden snub noses are diurnal. You have two activity highlights, one in the morning and one in the early afternoon. At these times they roam their territory and spend the following hours looking for food. They rested at noon. These monkeys are likely to live in the trees as well as on the ground (semi-terrestrial) - different studies have come to different results here. On the ground they usually move on four feet, but occasionally take two-legged steps. They are also often four-footed in the trees, they also swing on the branches ( brachiation ) or jump over distances. Every day they cover an average of between 700 and 2100 meters, less in winter than in summer.
Social behavior
The group behavior of the golden snub noses is variable, they live in groups of different sizes. The core is formed by harem groups, which are composed of a male, several females and their offspring. These harem groups are stable and contain around 9 to 18 animals. The male leads the group, the females establish a ranking by fighting among themselves. Again and again males try to take over the dominance of a harem group. This is done through gestures, threatening gestures or fights, but the preference of the females should also play a certain role as to whether an attempt to take over by another male works. If a new male takes over the group, infanticide often occurs , which means that the male kills the children of his predecessor in order to be able to produce offspring with the females.
Another group form are the bachelor groups, which consist of 4 to 7 males. Several groups join together at times to form associations that can comprise several hundred animals. This temporary coming together and separating again (fission-fusion) depends, among other things, on the food supply and external disturbances. The group's home ranges cover up to 40 square kilometers, but overlap over a large area.
food
Golden snub noses are herbivores, but the diet varies considerably with the season. Lichen (for example beard lichen ) take up a large part of the diet, but in the warmer months they also eat leaves , fruits , buds and seeds , and rarely grasses . In addition to lichens, tree bark also plays an important role in winter .
Reproduction
Reproduction is seasonal; in the Qinling Mountains, for example, mating occurs between September and November. The impulse to mate usually comes from the female. It makes eye contact with the male and then walks away a short distance, sometimes showing him her genital area as well. When the male shows interest, which is not always the case, mating occurs. After a gestation period of around six months , a single young is usually born between March and May. This is initially black on the back and head and white-gray on the belly, after several weeks the typical yellow coat color appears. The upbringing of the young is the job of the females, with other females in the group also taking care of what is known as "allomaternal care".
After around five months it starts to eat solid food, and it is finally weaned between one and one and a half years. Young male animals have to leave their birth group when they are around three years old; they are driven away by the father. Most females, on the other hand, remain in their birth group for life.
threat
Gold snub noses are among the endangered species. The main cause is the destruction of their habitat through deforestation. Hunting, on the other hand, only plays a very subordinate role. Their settlement area is split up into many small parts. The Chinese government has converted large parts of their remaining range into nature reserves; A positive effect is that the giant panda lives in parts of their habitat and the snub nose benefits from the protective measures for these bears. Estimates of the total population amount to 8,000 to 20,000 animals; the World Conservation Union IUCN indicates about 15,000 animals and lists the species in the Red List of Threatened Species as endangered ( Endangered ) on.
literature
- Thomas Geissmann : Comparative Primatology. Springer-Verlag, Berlin et al. 2003, ISBN 3-540-43645-6 ( Springer textbook ).
Web links
- Information on Theprimata.com (English)
- Information on Primate Fact Sheets (English)
- Photos and videos at arkive.org
- Photo series by Chinese photographer Xi Zhinong on geo.de
Individual evidence
- ↑ Zuofu Xiang et al. 2019. Routine allomaternal nursing in a free-ranging Old World monkey. Science Advances 5 (2); doi: 10.1126 / sciadv.aav0499
- ↑ Rhinopithecus roxellana in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2010. Posted by: Yongcheng, L. & Richardson, M. 2008. Accessed on March 15 of 2010.