Black monkey
| Black monkey | ||||||||||||
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Black monkey ( Cercopithecus pogonias ) |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Cercopithecus pogonias | ||||||||||||
| Bennett , 1833 |
The black monkey ( Cercopithecus pogonias ) is a primate species from the genus of the monkeys ( Cercopithecus ) within the family of the vervet monkeys (Cercopithecidae).
features
The coat of the black monkeys is gray-green on the upper side and yellowish on the underside, the hands and feet are black. The head is noticeable: the area around the eyes is bluish and the muzzle is pink. The face is framed by a yellowish whiskers. At the top of the head is the eponymous black head, next to this head there are also tufts of yellow hair that extend to the black lines that run from the eyes to the ears.
Males have a head body length of 50 to 66 centimeters and are therefore larger than the females, who reach a maximum of 46 centimeters. The tail is 50 to 87 centimeters longer than the body. The weight varies between 2 and 6 kilograms, with the males becoming heavier than the females.
distribution and habitat
Black monkeys live in central Africa. Their range extends from southeastern Nigeria , Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea (including the island of Bioko ) over Gabon and the Republic of Congo to the north of the Congo lying part of the Democratic Republic of Congo . Their habitat are forests, predominantly tropical rainforests.
Way of life
Black monkeys are diurnal tree dwellers who mostly live in the higher regions of the trees. Like all vervet monkeys, they live in harem groups, which include around 13 to 18 animals and are made up of a male, many females and their young animals. Surplus males often form bachelorette groups. They are territorial animals that defend their territories against other groups.
They communicate by means of sounds, gestures and postures. Loud calls emitted by the males point out other groups to their own territory. Staring, often with raised eyebrows and open mouth, is a threatening gesture and is sometimes associated with rocking head movements.
food
Black monkeys feed primarily on fruits, but they also eat seeds, leaves and other parts of plants as well as insects and other invertebrates.
Reproduction
After a gestation period of around five months, the female usually gives birth to a single young. This is weaned in the second half of life. Females are sexually mature at three years of age and males at around six to seven years of age. Life expectancy can be over 30 years.
threat
The black monkey's natural enemies include golden eagles , pythons , leopards and African golden cats . It is hunted by humans for its meat, and the destruction of its habitat also plays a role. However, the species is widespread and is not an endangered species.
Systematics
The black monkey is counted within the genus of the monkey ( Cercopithecus ) to the mona group, so it is closely related to the monkey cat . The wolf monkey is sometimes grouped into one species with it.
literature
- Thomas Geissmann : Comparative Primatology. Springer-Verlag, Berlin a. a. 2003, ISBN 3-540-43645-6 .
- Don E. Wilson, DeeAnn M. Reeder (Eds.): Mammal Species of the World. A taxonomic and geographic Reference. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2005, ISBN 0-8018-8221-4 .
