Black howler monkey

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Black howler monkey
Black howler monkey (Alouatta caraya), left female, right male

Black howler monkey ( Alouatta caraya ),
left female, right male

Systematics
Subordination : Dry- nosed primates (Haplorrhini)
Partial order : Monkey (anthropoidea)
without rank: New World Monkey (Platyrrhini)
Family : Spike-tailed monkeys (Atelidae)
Genre : Howler Monkey ( Alouatta )
Type : Black howler monkey
Scientific name
Alouatta caraya
Humboldt , 1812
male
female

The black howler monkey ( Alouatta caraya ) is a species of primate from the genus of the howler monkey within the spotted monkey (Atelidae). He lives in South America .

features

Black howler monkeys, like all howler monkeys, are relatively large, stocky primates. Males reach a head torso length of 50 to 66 centimeters and weigh an average of 6.7 kilograms, females reach an average head torso length of 48 centimeters and a weight of around 4.4 kilograms. A sexual dimorphism does not only prevail in terms of dimensions, but also in terms of color: the males are black, the females are yellow-brown or olive-colored. The limbs are long and strong, the tail is the same length or slightly longer than the body. It is designed as a grasping tail and hairless on the underside of the rear end. The dark-colored face is also hairless. As with all howler monkeys, the hyoid bone and thyroid cartilage of the larynx are greatly enlarged.

The sensory performance of the black howler monkey is striking, as some of the genes that normally help mammals to improve their sense of smell are inactivated by mutation. Instead, the color sense is trichromatic , meaning there are three different types of cones in the retina. These characteristics were previously only known in humans and other Old World monkeys , but not in New World monkeys , which include the black howler monkey.

distribution and habitat

Distribution area of ​​the black howler monkey

Black howler monkeys inhabit central and southern Brazil , eastern Bolivia , eastern Paraguay, and northern Argentina . Their habitat are forests and tree-lined areas, they can live in different habitats, but prefer rather dry habitats such as deciduous forests and the savannah-like Cerrado region.

Lifestyle and diet

These primates are diurnal and mostly stay in the trees, but occasionally come to the ground. Their movements are rather slow and deliberate, they rarely jump. However, they can only look for food by hanging on their prehensile tail. They live in groups that usually consist of 5 to 8 (sometimes up to 19) animals and contain roughly the same number of males as females. In the early morning all group members let out the roar typical of the howler monkeys. This roar serves to make other groups aware of where you are.

Black howler monkeys are pure herbivores that feed primarily on leaves. Depending on the season, they also eat fruits and buds to different degrees. To make up for the low nutritional value of their leaf food, they take long breaks.

Reproduction

After a gestation period of around 190 days, the female usually gives birth to a single young. This weighs around 125 grams and is initially golden yellow, only later does the typical adult color appear. The mother takes care of the boy for around a year. Males have to leave their birth group when they reach sexual maturity, while females often remain there for their entire life.

Danger

Due to its large range, its ability to cope with human-reshaped habitats, and the small size of its territories, the black howler monkey is less endangered than other South American primates. The IUCN lists it as not endangered.

In Germany the species is maintained in Berlin, Frankfurt, Stuttgart (German first breeding) and Leipzig.

Systematics

The black howler monkey is one of ten species of the genus of the howler monkey ( Alouatta ). Within this genus, he is the only representative of the caraya group and thus occupies a special position. There are two other black howler monkeys, the red-hand howler monkeys and the Amazonian black howler monkeys , but these are more closely related to the red howler monkeys and belong to the seniculus group.

literature

  • Thomas Geissmann : Comparative Primatology. Springer-Verlag, Berlin et al. 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 .

swell

  1. ^ Yoav Gilad, Victor Wiebe, Molly Przeworski, Doron Lancet, Svante Pääbo: Loss of Olfactory Receptor Genes Coincides with the Acquisition of Full Trichromatic Vision in Primates. PLoS Biol 2 (1): e5 doi: 10.1371 / journal.pbio.0020005 full text
  2. [1] ZTL 18.6

Web links

Commons : Black Howler Monkey  - Collection of images, videos and audio files