Purple-faced Langur
Encyclopedia
The purple-faced langur (Trachypithecus vetulus), or purple-faced leaf monkey, is a species of Old World monkey
endemic
to Sri Lanka
.
This is a long-tailed arboreal species, mainly brown with a dark facemask and paler lower face. The loud barking call, particularly of the highland form, can be mistaken for the roar of a predator such as a Leopard
.
This was once a common species, which was found even in suburban Colombo
and in the wet zone villages, but rapid urbanisation has taken a toll on the numbers of these monkeys.
It is said to be very selective in its diet, and its range has contracted greatly in the face of human encroachment, although it can still be seen in Sinharaja
, Kitulgala
, in the mountains at Horton Plains National Park
or in the rainforest city of Galle
.
There are four distinct subspecies
of purple-faced langur:
Old World monkey
The Old World monkeys or Cercopithecidae are a group of primates, falling in the superfamily Cercopithecoidea in the clade Catarrhini. The Old World monkeys are native to Africa and Asia today, inhabiting a range of environments from tropical rain forest to savanna, shrubland and mountainous...
endemic
Endemic (ecology)
Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, all species of lemur are endemic to the...
to Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
.
This is a long-tailed arboreal species, mainly brown with a dark facemask and paler lower face. The loud barking call, particularly of the highland form, can be mistaken for the roar of a predator such as a Leopard
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
.
This was once a common species, which was found even in suburban Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
and in the wet zone villages, but rapid urbanisation has taken a toll on the numbers of these monkeys.
It is said to be very selective in its diet, and its range has contracted greatly in the face of human encroachment, although it can still be seen in Sinharaja
Sinharaja Forest Reserve
Sinharaja Forest Reserve is a national park and a biodiversity hotspot in Sri Lanka. It is of international significance and has been designated a Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site by UNESCO....
, Kitulgala
Kitulgala
Kitulgala is a small town in the west of Sri Lanka. It is in the wet zone rain forest, which gets two monsoons each year, and is one of the wettest places in the country. Nevertheless, it comes alive in the first three months of the year, especially in February, the driest month...
, in the mountains at Horton Plains National Park
Horton Plains National Park
Horton Plains National Park is a protected area in the central highlands of Sri Lanka and is covered by montane grassland and cloud forest. This plateau at an altitude of is rich in biodiversity and many species found here are endemic to the region. This region was designated a national park in...
or in the rainforest city of Galle
Galle
Galle is a city situated on the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka, 119 km from Colombo. Galle is the capital city of Southern Province of Sri Lanka and it lies in Galle District....
.
There are four distinct subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of purple-faced langur:
- Southern lowland wetzone purple-faced langur, Trachypithecus vetulus vetulus
- Western purple-faced langurWestern Purple-faced LangurThe 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...
or North Lowland Wetzone Purple-faced Langur, Trachypithecus vetulus nestor - Dryzone purple-faced langur, Trachypithecus vetulus philbricki
- Montane purple-faced langur or Bear Monkey, Trachypithecus vetulus monticola