| Snub-nosed monkeys | |
|---|---|
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| Golden snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana) | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Primates |
| Family: | Cercopithecidae |
| Tribe: | Presbytini |
| Genus: | Rhinopithecus A. Milne-Edwards, 1872 |
| Type species | |
| Semnopithecus roxellana A. Milne-Edwards, 1872 | |
| Species | |
See text | |
Snub-nosed monkeys are a group ofOld World monkeys and make up the entirety of thegenusRhinopithecus. The genus is rare and not fully researched. Some taxonomists group snub-nosedmonkeys together with the genusPygathrix.
Snub-nosed monkeys live inAsia, with a range covering southernChina (especiallyTibet,Sichuan,Yunnan, andGuizhou) extending into the northern parts ofMyanmar andVietnam. Snub-nosed monkeys inhabit mountain forests up to elevations of more than 4,000 m (13,000 ft). In the winter, they move into the deeply secluded regions. Higher elevation areas are more remote and difficult for humans to access and utilize and other studies have found lessdeforestation, morereforestation andafforestation, less range contraction, and less extinction in topographically steep areas. AllRhinopithecus species inhabit primary forest and grid cells with tree cover ≥ 75% might constitute important potential habitat.[1]
These monkeys are named for the short stump of a nose on their round faces, with nostrils arranged forward. They have relatively multicolored and long fur, particularly at the shoulders and backs. They grow to a length of 51–83 cm (20–33 in) with a tail of 55–97 cm (22–38 in).
Snub-nosed monkeys spend the majority of their life in the trees. They live together in very large groups, splitting up into smaller groups in times of food-scarcity, such as in the winter. Family units consisting of one male with multiple females, along with all-male bachelor groups, form cohesive larger groups of roughly 76 to 400.[2][3] They have territorial instincts, defending their zones mostly with shouts. They have a large vocal repertoire, calling sometimes solo while at other times together in choir-like fashion.
The monkeys are known to be difficult to track because they are so quiet. Reachers have noted that it's easier to find them when it's raining because water gets into their nostrils and makes them sneeze.[4]
The diet of these animals consists mainly of tree needles,bamboo buds, fruits and leaves. A multi-chambered stomach helps them with digesting their food.
The impulse for mating starts with the female. She takes up eye contact with the male and runs away a short bit, then flashes her genitals. If the male shows interest (he doesn't always), he joins the female and they mate. The 200-day gestation period ends with a single birth in late spring or early summer. Young animals become fully mature in about six to seven years. Zoologists know little about their lifespan.
Thegolden[5] andblack-and-white snub-nosed monkeys[6] are bothendangered species, while the other three species arecritically endangered.[7][8][9]
Golden snub-nosed monkey communities with large populations have high genetic diversity, but also show higher levels of recent inbreeding than other snub-nosed monkeys.[10]
| Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black-and-white snub-nosed monkey
| R. bieti A. Milne-Edwards, 1897 | Southern China | Size: 74–83 cm (29–33 in) long, plus 51–72 cm (20–28 in) tail[11] Habitat: Forest[6] Diet: Leaves, fruit, andlichen[11] | EN
|
| Golden snub-nosed monkey
| R. roxellana (A. Milne-Edwards, 1870) Three subspecies
| Central China | Size: 57–76 cm (22–30 in) long, plus 51–72 cm (20–28 in) tail[12] Habitat: Forest[5] Diet: Leaves, bark, and lichen, as well as buds and fruit seeds[12] | EN
|
| Gray snub-nosed monkey
| R. brelichi Thomas, 1903 | Central China | Size: About 64–73 cm (25–29 in) long, plus 70–97 cm (28–38 in) tail[13] Habitat: Forest[7] Diet: Leaves, buds, fruit, seeds and bark, as well as insect larvae[13] | CR
|
| Myanmar snub-nosed monkey
| R. strykeri Geissmann et al., 2010 | NorthernMyanmar | Size: About 56 cm (22 in) long, plus 78 cm (31 in) tail[14] Habitat: Forest[9] Diet: Leaves, fruit, seeds, buds, flowers, twigs, and bark[15] | CR
|
| Tonkin snub-nosed monkey
| R. avunculus Dollman, 1912 | NorthernVietnam | Size: 51–65 cm (20–26 in) long, plus 66–92 cm (26–36 in) tail[16] Habitat: Forest[8] Diet: Leaves, fruit, flowers, and seeds[16] | CR
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