Cercopithecinae

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

iCercopithecine monkeys
Mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Primates Superfamily: Cercopithecoidea Family: Cercopithecidae Subfamily: Cercopithecinae Gray, 1821
Genera
Allenopithecus Miopithecus Erythrocebus Chlorocebus Cercopithecus Macaca Lophocebus Rungwecebus Papio Theropithecus Cercocebus Mandrillus

The Cercopithecinae are a subfamily of the Old World monkeys, that includes in its roughly 71 species the baboons, the macaques and the vervet monkeys. Most cercopithecine monkeys are limited to sub-Saharan Africa, although the macaques range from the far eastern parts of Asia through northern Africa as well as on Gibraltar.

The various species are adapted to the different terrains they inhabit. Arboreal species are slim, delicate and have a long tail, while terrestrial species are stockier and their tail can be small or completely nonexistent. All species have well developed thumbs. Some species have ischial callosities, which can change their colour during mating period.

These monkeys are diurnal and live together in social groups. They live in all types of terrain and climate, from cool mountains to rain forests, savannah, bald rocky areas or even snowy mountains, like the Japanese Macaque.

Most species are omnivorous with diets ranging from fruits, leaves, seeds, buds, mushrooms to insects and spiders to smaller vertebrates.

Gestation lasts approximately six to seven months. Young are weaned after 3 to 12 months and are fully mature within 3 to 5 years. The life expectancy of some species can be as long as 50 years.

[edit] Classification

Cercopithinae is often split into two tribes, Cercopithecini and Papioini, as shown in the list of genera below.

• FAMILY CERCOPITHECIDAE
  • Subfamily Cercopithecinae
    • Tribe Cercopithecini
      • Genus Allenopithecus - Allen's Swamp Monkey
      • Genus Miopithecus - talapoins
      • Genus Erythrocebus - Patas Monkey
      • Genus Chlorocebus - vervet monkeys, etc.
      • Genus Cercopithecus - guenons
    • Tribe Papionini
      • Genus Macaca - macaques
      • Genus Lophocebus - crested mangabeys
      • Genus Rungwecebus - Highland Mangabey
      • Genus Papio - baboons
      • Genus Theropithecus - Gelada
      • Genus Cercocebus - white-eyelid mangabeys
      • Genus Mandrillus - Drill and Mandrill
  • Subfamily Colobinae

[edit] References

• Groves, Colin (16 November 2005). Wilson, D. E., and Reeder, D. M. (eds): Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition, Johns Hopkins University Press, 152-167. ISBN 0-801-88221-4.