Colobinae

Colobine monkeys[1]
Javan lutung (Trachypithecus auratus)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Primates
Superfamily:	Cercopithecoidea
Family:	Cercopithecidae
Subfamily:	Colobinae Jerdon, 1867
Genera
Colobus Piliocolobus Procolobus Trachypithecus Presbytis Semnopithecus Pygathrix Rhinopithecus Nasalis Simias

A langur in Pench National Park, India

Colobinae (also called Leaf Monkey) is a subfamily of the Old World monkey family that includes 59 species in 10 genera, including the skunk-like black-and-white colobus, the large-nosed proboscis monkey, and the gray langurs. Some classifications split the colobine monkeys into two tribes, while others split them into three groups. Both classifications put the three African genera Colobus, Piliocolobus, and Procolobus in one group; these genera are distinct in that they have a stub thumb. The various Asian genera are placed into another one or two groups. Analysis of mtDNA confirms that the Asian species form two distinct groups, one of langurs and the other of the "odd-nosed" species, but suggests that the gray langurs are not closely related to either.^[2]

Characteristics

Colobines are medium-sized primates with long tails and diverse colorations. The coloring of nearly all the young animals differs remarkably from that of the adults.

Most species are arboreal, although some live a more terrestrial life. They are found in many different habitats of different climate zones (rain forests, mangroves, mountain forests, and savanah), but not in deserts and other dry areas. They live in groups, but in different group forms.

They are almost exclusively herbivores, predominantly nourishing themselves on leaves, flowers, and fruits. They occasionally eat insects and other small animals. To aid in digestion, particularly of hard-to-digest leaves, they have a multi-chambered, complex stomach. Unlike the other subfamily of Old World monkeys, the Cercopithecinae, they possess no cheek pouches.

Gestation averages six to seven months. Young are weaned for approximately one year and are mature at 3 to 6 years. Their life expectancy is approximately 20 years.

Classification

• FAMILY CERCOPITHECIDAE^[1][2]
  • Subfamily Cercopithecinae
  • Subfamily Colobinae
    • African group
      • Genus Colobus - black-and-white colobus monkeys
      • Genus Piliocolobus - red colobus monkeys
      • Genus Procolobus - olive colobus
    • Langur (leaf monkey) group
      • Genus Trachypithecus - lutungs
      • Genus Presbytis - surilis
      • Genus Semnopithecus - gray langurs
    • Odd-Nosed group
      • Genus Pygathrix - doucs
      • Genus Rhinopithecus - snub-nosed monkeys
      • Genus Nasalis - proboscis monkey
      • Genus Simias - pig-tailed langur

Hybrids

Intergeneric hybrids are known to occur within the Colobinae subfamily. In India, gray langurs (Semnopithecus sp) are known to hybridize with Nilgiri langurs (Trachypithecus johnii).^[3]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Groves, Colin P. (16 November 2005). "SUBFAMILY Colobinae". In Wilson, Don E., and Reeder, DeeAnn M., eds. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 167–178. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494. http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3/browse.asp?id=12100596. 
2. ^ ^{a b} Sterner, Kirstin N.; Raaum, Ryan L.; Zhang, Ya-Ping; Stewart, Caro-Beth & Disotell, Todd R. (2006). "Mitochondrial data support an odd-nosed colobine clade". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 40 (1): 1–7. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2006.01.017. PMID 16500120. http://locomotive.raaum.org/pdfs/Sterner2006a.pdf. 
3. ^ Rowe, N. (1996). The Pictorial Guide to the Living Primates. Pogonias Press. pp. 139, 143, 154, 185, 223. ISBN 0-9648825-0-7.