| Nilgiri langur | |
|---|---|
_by_N._A._Naseer.jpg) | |
| Nilgiri langur eating fruit. | |
 | |
| AtParambikulam. | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Primates |
| Suborder: | Haplorhini |
| Infraorder: | Simiiformes |
| Family: | Cercopithecidae |
| Genus: | Semnopithecus |
| Species: | S. johnii |
| Binomial name | |
| Semnopithecus johnii (J. Fischer, 1829) | |
 | |
| Nilgiri langur range | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
TheNilgiri langur (Semnopithecus johnii) is an Asianlangur of theOld World monkey. It has glossy, black fur and an orangey-golden brown, hair-like mane on its head. Females have a white patch of fur on the inner thigh. It typically lives in troops of nine to ten individuals, with or without offspring, depending on seasonality. Its diet consists of fruits, shoots and leaves. It is listed asvulnerable on theIUCN Red List and is threatened byhabitat destruction andpoaching for its body parts, thought to supposedly containaphrodisiac properties.
The classification of the Nilgiri langur has been disputed. Traditionally it has been placed within the genusTrachypithecus based on morphological similarities such as cranial morphology and neonatal pelage color, and within theTrachypithecus vetulus group withinTrachypithecus based on a presumed close relationship with thepurple-faced langur (Semnopithecus vetulus), which had formerly been classified asT. vetulus. DNA and other evidence suggests that the Nilgiri and purple-faced langurs are more closely related to thegray langurs, and have thus been reclassified within the genusSemnopithecus.[3][4][5][6][7]
Adult males have a head-to-body length of 78–80 cm (31–31 in) and adult females of 58–60 cm (23–24 in); their tails are 68.5–96.5 cm (27.0–38.0 in) long. Males weigh 9.1–14.8 kg (20–33 lb) and females 10.9–12 kg (24–26 lb).[8]
The Nilgiri langur is native to theNilgiri Hills ofSouth India, where it occurs at elevations of 300–2,000 m (980–6,560 ft) in the states ofKarnataka,Kerala andTamil Nadu.[1] It has been sighted inAgasthyamala Biosphere Reserve,Aliyar Forest Reserve,Anamalai Tiger Reserve,Bandipur National Park,Eravikulam National Park, Idamalayar Reserve Forest,Mudumalai National Park,Mukurthi National Park, Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve,Nelliampathi,Periyar National Park,Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary andSilent Valley National Park.[9]
Thegestation period is not precisely known but assumed to be 200 days.[8]
