| Hamlyn's monkey[1] | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Primates |
| Family: | Cercopithecidae |
| Genus: | Cercopithecus |
| Species: | C. hamlyni |
| Binomial name | |
| Cercopithecus hamlyni Pocock, 1907 | |
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| Geographic range | |
TheHamlyn's monkey (Cercopithecus hamlyni), also known as theowl-faced monkey, is a species ofOld World monkey that inhabits thebamboo and primaryrainforests of theCongo. This species is exceedingly rare and known only from a few specimens; little is known about it. However these specimens tend to be widely dispersed throughout the eastern part of Congo, from the Epulu River to theLukuga River and from theCongo River to the Kabale Forest, with one example in northwesternRwanda. Geographically it corresponds quite closely to another species of monkey,L'Hoest's monkeyC. lhoesti. It travels on the ground, and researchers think that it may be awake primarily by night.
Schwarz (1928) grouped this species withC. l'hoesti, while Elliot (1913) noted its distinctive cusp pattern on the third molar, and reassigned it to a separate genus,Rhinostigma. This he believed to be an intermediate betweenCercopithecus andCercocebus.[3] Hamlyn's monkey has one subspecies[1] other than the nominate. In weight, the male is much larger than the female, with the average adult weighing 7 to 10 kg, while females weigh on average 4.5 to 6 kg.[4] It is thought to be afrugivore-folivore in diet.[5] Some published reports indicated that Hamlyn's monkey lives in small groups, of ten members or less, with one male and multiple females, with no data to show them occurring in monogamous groups.[6] The species has been found only in higher elevations, above 900m and up to 4600m.[7] In color it is generally dark gray, with a characteristic white stripe which extends from the root of the nose to the upper lip, giving it an owl-like appearance, hence the name "owl-faced monkey". The name "Hamlyn's monkey" and the scientific epithet "hamlyni" come from the animal dealer who first brought this species to theLondon Zoo. It has scent glands on its chest with which itmarks its territory. Both sexes have bare, blue buttocks, and the mature male has bright red and blue genitals. The juvenile coloration is a yellow-brown coat and a pink face. In captivity it has been known to live for about 33 years.[4] Like others of this genus, it covers a wide area in its daily travels, mostly in a search for food.[8]
