Northern plains gray langur

Last updated

Northern plains gray langur
Northern plains gray langur.jpg
CITES Appendix I (CITES) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Suborder: Haplorhini
Infraorder: Simiiformes
Family: Cercopithecidae
Genus: Semnopithecus
Species:
S. entellus [2]
Binomial name
Semnopithecus entellus [2]
(Dufresne, 1797)
Bengal Gray Langur area.png
Northern plains gray langur range

The northern plains gray langur (Semnopithecus entellus), also known as the sacred langur, Bengal sacred langur and Hanuman langur, is a species of primate in the family Cercopithecidae.

Contents

Taxonomy

The northern plains gray langur belongs to the genus Semnopithecus along with the other Indian langurs. The southern plains gray langur was once classified as a subspecies of S. entellus, i.e., S. entellus dussumieri and later regarded as a separate species, i.e., S. dussumieri, but is now regarded as an invalid taxon. [3] [4] [5] Most of the specimens that had been regarded as Semnopithecus dussumieri fall within the revised range of Semnopithecus entellus. [6]

Description

The fur of adults is mostly light colored, with darker fur on the back and limbs, and the face, ears, hands and feet are all black. Infants are brown. [7] Body size excluding tail ranges from 45.1 cm (17.8 in) to 78.4 cm (30.9 in) long, and the tail length is between 80.3 cm (31.6 in) and 111.8 cm (44.0 in). [7] [6] Adult males weigh between 16.9 kg (37 lb) and 19.5 kg (43 lb) while adult females weigh between 9.5 kg (21 lb) and 16.1 kg (35 lb). [6] [7]

Distribution and habitat

The range of the northern plains gray langur covers a large portion of India south of the Himalayas south to the Tapti River and the Krishna River. [6] [7] It is thought to have been introduced to western Bangladesh by Hindu pilgrims on the bank of the Jalangi River. [1]

Behaviour and ecology

Family perched on concrete ledge Monkeyfamily.jpg
Family perched on concrete ledge
Mother breastfeeding infant in Ranthambore National Park A juvenile gray langur (Semnopithecus) feeds in the safety of its mother's arms in the Ranthambore National Park.jpg
Mother breastfeeding infant in Ranthambore National Park

The northern plains gray langur is diurnal, and is both terrestrial and arboreal. [7] Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland. [1] Females groom members of both sexes but males do not groom others. [7]

The northern plains gray langur can live in several different types of groups. It can live in groups of multiple males and females, one male and multiple females or multiple males with no females, and males can also live alone without a group. [7] Single male groups are most common. [7] Group size can exceed 100 monkeys. [7] Upon reaching maturity, males typically emigrate from their natal group while females typically remain. [6] [7] Young adult females are typically dominant over older females. [6] When a new male takes over a group it may engage in infanticide of young fathered by the previous male or males, but this is less common when the takeover occurs slowly over several months. [6] [7]

The northern plains gray langur eats primarily fruits and leaves. [7] It is able to survive on mature leaves, which is a key to its ability to survive throughout the dry season. [6] It also eats seeds, flowers, buds, bark and insects, including caterpillars. [6] It is also fed fruits and vegetables by humans, and some groups get a substantial portion of their diets from food provided by temples and from raiding crops. [7]

Groups that have access to abundant food year-round, for example those that are provisioned by temples or are able to raid crops year-round, also breed throughout the year. [6] Other groups, such as those living in forests, typically give birth between December and May. [6] The gestation period is about 200 days. [6] Females other than the mother alloparent the infant for the first month of its life. [6] Weaning occurs at about 1 year and males reach maturity at about 6 to 7 year old. [6]

The northern plains gray langur often associates with chital deer. Both species respond to each other's alarm calls. [7] The chital seem to benefit from the vigilance of male langurs watching for predators in the trees, while the langurs seem to benefit from the chital's better senses of smell and hearing. [6] It also has been observed engaging in grooming sessions with rhesus macaques. [8]

Conservation

A captive gray langur. According to the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, it is illegal to hold the species in captivity. A Pet Colobinae is waiting for his master to come and feed.jpg
A captive gray langur. According to the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, it is illegal to hold the species in captivity.

The northern plains gray langur is listed as least concern on the IUCN Red List, it is threatened by habitat loss. [1] The northern plains gray langur adapts to many habitats and the Hindu religion considers the northern plains gray langur to be sacred. [7] Hence it has large population within India, including within towns and cities. [7] It is subject to some threats, including road kill, attacks by dogs, forest fires and diseases caught from domestic animals. [1] [7] It is sometimes hunted for food, especially within the states of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh and is sometimes killed by humans to prevent it from raiding crops. [1]

A dead Northern Plains Gray Langur (Semnopithecus entellus) is given funeral as per Hindu rituals in Odisha, India. According to the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, it is illegal to handle the species, dead or alive, without procuring requisite permissions from the forest department. Northern Plains Gray Langur death and funeral rituals DSCN7520 (1) 05.jpg
A dead Northern Plains Gray Langur (Semnopithecus entellus) is given funeral as per Hindu rituals in Odisha, India. According to the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, it is illegal to handle the species, dead or alive, without procuring requisite permissions from the forest department.

Captive gray langurs are used in Delhi to scare off rhesus macaques, which steal from and sometimes attack people. [9] [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Macaque</span> Genus of Old World monkeys

The macaques constitute a genus (Macaca) of gregarious Old World monkeys of the subfamily Cercopithecinae. The 23 species of macaques inhabit ranges throughout Asia, North Africa, and Europe. Macaques are principally frugivorous, although their diet also includes seeds, leaves, flowers, and tree bark. Some species such as the long-tailed macaque will supplement their diets with small amounts of meat from shellfish, insects, and small mammals. On average, a southern pig-tailed macaque in Malaysia eats about 70 large rats each year. All macaque social groups are arranged around dominant matriarchs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crab-eating macaque</span> Species of monkey from Southeast Asia

The crab-eating macaque, also known as the long-tailed macaque and referred to as the cynomolgus monkey in laboratories, is a cercopithecine primate native to Southeast Asia. A species of macaque, the crab-eating macaque has a long history alongside humans. The species has been alternately seen as an agricultural pest, a sacred animal, and, more recently, the subject of medical experiments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old World monkey</span> Family of mammals

Old World monkeys are primates in the family Cercopithecidae. Twenty-four genera and 138 species are recognized, making it the largest primate family. Old World monkey genera include baboons, red colobus and macaques. Common names for other Old World monkeys include the talapoin, guenon, colobus, douc, vervet, gelada, mangabey, langur, mandrill, surili (Presbytis), patas, and proboscis monkey.

<i>Semnopithecus</i> Genus of Old World monkeys

Semnopithecus is a genus of Old World monkeys native to the Indian subcontinent, with all species with the exception of two being commonly known as gray langurs. Traditionally only one species Semnopithecus entellus was recognized, but since about 2001, additional species have been recognized. The taxonomy has been in flux, but currently eight species are recognized.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue monkey</span> Species of Old World monkey

The blue monkey or diademed monkey is a species of Old World monkey native to Central and East Africa, ranging from the upper Congo River basin east to the East African Rift and south to northern Angola and Zambia. It sometimes includes Sykes', silver, and golden monkeys as subspecies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Purple-faced langur</span> Species of Old World monkey

The purple-faced langur, also known as the purple-faced leaf monkey, is a species of Old World monkey that is endemic to Sri Lanka. The animal is a long-tailed arboreal species, identified by a mostly brown appearance, dark face and a very shy nature. The species was once highly prevalent, found in suburban Colombo and the "wet zone" villages, but rapid urbanization has led to a significant decrease in the population level of the monkeys. It had traditionally been classified within the genus Trachypithecus but was moved to the genus Semnopithecus based on DNA evidence indicating that is it more closely related to the gray langurs.

<i>Trachypithecus</i> Genus of Old World monkeys

Trachypithecus is a genus of Old World monkeys containing species known as lutungs, langurs, or leaf monkeys. Their range is much of Southeast Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nilgiri langur</span> Species of Old World monkey

The Nilgiri langur is a langur. This primate has glossy black fur on its body and golden brown fur on its head. It is similar in size and long-tailed like the gray langurs. Females have a white patch of fur on the inner thigh. It typically lives in troops of nine to ten monkeys. Its diet consists of fruits, shoots and leaves. The species is classified as vulnerable due to habitat destruction and poaching for its fur and flesh, the latter believed to have aphrodisiac properties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black-footed gray langur</span> Species of Old World monkey

The black-footed gray langur is an Old World monkey, one of the species of langurs. Found in southern India, this, like other gray langurs, is a leaf-eating monkey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pagai Island macaque</span> Species of Old World monkey

The Pagai Island macaque, also known as the Pagai macaque or Bokkoi, is an Old World monkey endemic to the Mentawai Islands off the west coast of Sumatra. It is listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List due to its ever-shrinking habitat. Macaca pagensis formerly included the overall darker Siberut macaque as a subspecies, but this arrangement is polyphyletic, leading to the two being classified as separate species. Both were formerly considered subspecies of the southern pig-tailed macaque.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delacour's langur</span> Species of Old World monkey

Delacour's langur or Delacour's lutung is a critically endangered species of Old World monkey endemic to northern Vietnam. It is named for French-American ornithologist Jean Théodore Delacour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raffles' banded langur</span> Species of primate in Malaysia and Singapore

The Raffles' banded langur, also known as the banded leaf monkey or banded surili, is a species of primate in the family Cercopithecidae. It is endemic to Singapore and southern Peninsular Malaysia. The species underwent taxonomic revisions in 2019 and 2020, in which two former subspecies were elevated to separate species. As a result, the Raffles' banded langur meets the criteria for being listed as critically endangered by the IUCN. It is mainly threatened by habitat loss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern plains gray langur</span>

Southern plains gray langur was the common name ascribed to Semnopithecus dussumieri by Mammal Species of the World in 2005. Along with several other Semnopithecus, it had been previously considered a subspecies of the northern plains gray langur, Semnopithecus entellus, i.e., Semnopithecus entellus dussumieri. Subsequent genetic research has revealed that Semnopithecus dussumieri is an invalid taxon. These monkeys live in groups in forests and other rural habitats, with some groups being habituated to human contact and feeding. They are herbivorous, feeding by day mainly on foliage, fruits and flowers, and sleeping at night high in a tree.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nepal gray langur</span> Species of Old World monkey

The Nepal gray langur is a gray langur endemic to the Himalayas in Nepal, far southwestern Tibet, northern India, northern Pakistan, Bhutan and possibly Afghanistan. It is found in forests at an elevation of 1,500 to 4,000 metres. Its easternmost limit in India is Buxa Tiger Reserve in northern West Bengal, at least up to the Rydak river.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kashmir gray langur</span> Species of Old World monkey

The Kashmir gray langur is an Old World monkey, one of the langur species. It is a leaf-eating monkey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tarai gray langur</span> Species of Old World monkey

The Tarai gray langur is an Old World monkey, and was formerly considered a subspecies of the northern plains gray langur. The species is listed as near threatened, as there are probably not many more than 10,000 mature individuals, and it is experiencing a continuing decline.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tufted gray langur</span> Species of Old World monkey

The tufted gray langur, also known as Madras gray langur, and Coromandel sacred langur, is an Old World monkey, one of the species of langurs. This, like other gray langurs, is mainly a leaf-eating monkey. It is found in southeast India and Sri Lanka. It is one of three Semnopithecus species named after characters from The Iliad, S. hector and S. ajax being the others. In Sinhala it is known as හැලි වදුරා.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western purple-faced langur</span> Subspecies of Old World monkey

The western purple-faced langur, also known as the north lowland wetzone purple-faced langur, is a subspecies of purple-faced langur endemic to Sri Lanka. It lives in the wet zone in western Sri Lanka around the former capital city of Colombo. This subspecies are known to live in tropical rainforest, specifically in an area of Sri Lanka, where it is noted to rain two times more compared to the neighboring region. The subspecies is generally gray-brown with lighter whiskers, a gray rump patch, and dark forearms and legs. These monkeys also have dark brown or black, hairless faces. Their hands and feet are also hairless. When infants, their fur is medium brown to light gray, however it changes to their darker adult colors at between 12 and 16 weeks old. Typical length is between 48 and 67 centimetres excluding tail, with a 59 to 85 centimetres tail. On average, males weigh 8.5 kilograms (19 lb) and females weigh 7.8 kilograms (17 lb). Their average life span is about 26 years if the monkey was held in captivity. Due to their leafy diet, the western purple-faced langur back teeth, include high crowns and pointed cusps to make eating through greenery simpler. They also developed a digestive system that would allow them to break down cellulose in the leaves they eat. Although, leaves are their primary source of food, they also eat fruits and flowers. Female langurs hold a pregnancy for 195–210 days, and after the birth the offsprings are taken closely cared for by the mother until they are about 12–20 weeks old.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tibetan macaque</span> Species of Old World monkey

The Tibetan macaque, also known as the Chinese stump-tailed macaque or Milne-Edwards' macaque, is a macaque species found from eastern Tibet east to Guangdong and north to Shaanxi in China. It has also been reported from northeastern India. This species lives in subtropical forests at elevations from 800 to 2,500 m above sea level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Selangor silvered langur</span> Species of Old World monkey

The Selangor silvered langur is a species of leaf monkey found on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It had been previously considered a form of silvery lutung. Roos and colleagues elevated this population to a subspecies level, Trachypithecus cristatus selangorensis, in 2008. It has since come to be regarded by primatologists as a separate species, Trachypithecus selangorensis.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Kumara, H.N.; Kumar, A. & Singh, M. (2020). "Semnopithecus entellus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T39832A17942050. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T39832A17942050.en . Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  2. 1 2 Groves, C. P. (2005). "Species Semnopithecus entellus". In Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 166. ISBN   0-801-88221-4. OCLC   62265494.
  3. Groves, C.P.; Chhangani, A. (2008). "Semnopithecus dussumieri". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2008: e.T39835A10274796.
  4. Nag, C.; Karanth, P. (2011). "Taxonomic implications of a field study of morphotypes of hanuman langurs (Semnopithecus entellus) in Peninsular India" (PDF). International Journal of Primatology. 32 (4): 830–848. doi:10.1007/s10764-011-9504-0. S2CID   22233326.
  5. Roos, C.; Boonratana, R.; Supriatna, J.; Fellowes, J.R.; Groves, C.P.; Nash, S.D.; Rylands, A.B.; Mittermeier, R.A. (2014). "An updated taxonomy and conservation status review of Asian primates" (PDF). Asian Primates Journal. 4 (1): 2−38.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Anandam, M.V.; Karanth, K.P. & Molur, S. (2013). Mittermeier, R.A.; Rylands, A.B. & Wilson, D.E. (eds.). Handbook of the Mammals of the World. Vol. Volume 3: Primates. Lynx Ediciones. p. 733. ISBN   978-8496553897.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 McQuinn, A. (2016). Rowe, N. & Myers, M. (eds.). All the World's Primates. Pogonias Press. pp. 578–579. ISBN   9781940496061.
  8. Lee, Z.H.; Ang, A.; Ruppert, N. (26 August 2021). "First record of interspecies grooming between raffles' banded langur and long-tailed macaque". Journal of Threatened Taxa. 13 (9): 19246–19253. doi: 10.11609/jott.7510.13.9.19246-19253 . Retrieved 2021-09-05.
  9. Sidner, S. (2010). "In India, authorities fight monkeys with monkeys". CNN. Retrieved 2020-04-19.
  10. Tapper, J. (2014). "Delhi's 30,000 unruly monkeys steal stuff, terrorize people and even kill". Public Radio International. Retrieved 19 April 2020.