Popa langur

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Popa langur
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: Trachypithecus
Species:
T. popa
Binomial name
Trachypithecus popa
Roos et al., 2020
Range Trachypithecus popa.png

The Popa langur (Trachypithecus popa) is a species of primate in the family Cercopithecidae. It occurs only in Myanmar and was named after Mount Popa, where a population of 100 of the monkeys live. [2] It is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, as the wild population is thought to comprise 200 to 250 mature individuals. [1]

Contents

Taxonomy

The Popa langur was discovered in 2020 in a lab setting instead of the field. A phylogenetic study was conducted with the effort of understanding the Popa langur's taxonomic relationships with other species of the genus. For this study, scientists used fecal samples from wild langurs and tissue samples from museum specimens. [3]

Alongside the genetic analysis the discovery also involved the comparison of the Popa langur with a specimen of the Phayre's langur at the Natural History Museum, London. The examination revealed small differences in their skins, skulls and coloration. [4]

Characteristics

The Popa langur has a dark-brown or grey-brown back, a white belly, and black hands and feet. It has distinctive white rings around the eyes, as well as the muzzle. It weighs around 8 kg (18 lb). [2]

Distribution and habitat

The Popa langur occurs in central Myanmar, mainly around Mount Popa. [4]

Conservation

The Popa langur is threatened by hunting, habitat destruction and fragmentation. [2] [1]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Matauschek, C.; Meyer, D.; Lwin, N.; Ko Lin, A.; Lin, A.; Momberg, F.; Roos, C. (2022). "Trachypithecus popa". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2022: e.T196344474A196344962. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T196344474A196344962.en . Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 Roos, Christian; Helgen, Kristofer M.; et al. (2020). "Mitogenomic phylogeny of the Asian colobine genus Trachypithecus with special focus on Trachypithecus phayrei (Blyth, 1847) and description of a new species". Zoological Research. 41 (6): 656–669. doi:10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2020.254. ISSN   2095-8137. PMC   7671912 . PMID   33171548.
  3. Roos, Christian; Liedigk, Rasmus; Thinh, Van Ngoc; Nadler, Tilo; Zinner, Dietmar (2019). "The hybrid origin of the Indochinese Gray Langur Trachypithecus crepusculus". International Journal of Primatology. 40 (1): 9–27. doi:10.1007/s10764-017-0008-4. S2CID   11460634.
  4. 1 2 "New species of monkey is already critically endangered". www.nhm.ac.uk. Retrieved 2022-10-28.