Agile Gibbon

Taxobox
name = Agile GibbonMSW3 Groves|pages=179|id=12100758]


status = EN
status_system = iucn3.1
trend = unknown
status_ref = [IUCN2006|assessors=Eudey "et al"|year=2000|id=10543|title=Hylobates agilis|downloaded=11 May 2006 ]
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Mammalia
ordo = Primates
familia = Hylobatidae
genus = "Hylobates"
species = "H. agilis"
binomial = "Hylobates agilis"
binomial_authority = F. Cuvier, 1821

The Agile Gibbon ("Hylobates agilis"), also known as the Black-handed Gibbon, is a primate in the Hylobatidae or gibbon family. The fur coloring of these animals can vary from black to red-brown. Their brows are always white, however, and males can be recognized by their white or light-grey cheeks. Additionally, males are slightly larger than females. Agile Gibbons reach an average weight of 5.5 kg and a length of 40 to 60 cm. Like all gibbons they are tailless.

The range of the Agile Gibbon is Southeast Asia, primarily the island Sumatra (but not the north part of the island), the southwest of the island of Borneo as well as a small area on the Malay Peninsula. With their long arms they swing by the branches, brachiating at a fast pace. They predominantly live arboreally in rain forests and rarely come to the ground. Like all gibbons, they live in serially monogamous pairs in a strictly enforced territory, which they defend with vigorous visual displays and songs. The diet of the Agile Gibbon consists mainly of fruits, leaves and insects.

Gestation time is seven months and births are of a single offspring. Young are weaned at barely 2 years of age. Once they are fully mature (at about 8 years), it leaves its family group in order to look for a mate.

There are three subspecies of the Agile Gibbon:cite web | last = Geissmann | first = Thomas | title = Gibbon Systematics and Species Identification | url = http://gibbons.de/main/system/intro.html | accessdate = 2006-04-13]
* Mountain Agile Gibbon, "Hylobates agilis agilis"
* Bornean White-bearded Gibbon, "Hylobates agilis albibarbis"
* Lowland Agile Gibbon, "Hylobates agilis unko"

Some scientists list the Bornean White-bearded Gibbon as its own species in full.

References

External links

* [http://www.gibbons.de/main/photo/01agil.html Agile Gibbon photos]
* [http://www.gibbons.de/main/sound/01agil.html Agile Gibbon songs]
* [http://www.gibboncenter.org/ Gibbon Conservation Center]