Sclater's Guenon
Encyclopedia
Sclater's guenon also known as Sclater's monkey and the Nigerian monkey, is an Old World monkey
that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock
in 1904 and named after Philip Sclater
. It is an arboreal and diurnal
primate
that lives in the forests of southern Nigeria
. It should not be confused with the closely related species, the white-throated guenon
(Cercopithecus erythrogaster), which occurs in Nigeria and Benin
. Sclater's guenon was formerly classified as a subspecies of the red-eared guenon
(C. erythrotis).
The diet of Sclater's guenon is unknown. The species is likely primarily a frugivore
that supplements its diet with other plant parts and insects, based on data from closely related species.
Sclater's guenon was thought to be nearly extinct until the late 1980s. The species is now known to occur in several isolated populations between the Niger
and Cross River
s in southern Nigeria. This region falls in the Guinean Forests
of the West Africa
biodiversity hotspot
.
The species does not occur in any officially protected areas, but three populations of Sclater's guenon are known to be protected by local people who consider the monkeys to have sacred status. Mostly because of hunting and habitat fragmentation and loss, and thus increasing population isolation and decline, Sclater's guenon is listed as a Vulnerable species.
Sclater's guenon is known to occur in captivity only at the Centre for Education, Rehabilitation, and Conservation of Primates and Nature (CERCOPAN) in Cross River State, Nigeria.
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...
that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock
Reginald Innes Pocock
Reginald Innes Pocock F.R.S. was a British zoologist.Pocock was born in Clifton, Bristol, the fourth son of Rev. Nicholas Pocock and Edith Prichard. He began showing interest in natural history at St. Edward's School, Oxford. He received tutoring in zoology from Sir Edward Poulton, and was allowed...
in 1904 and named after Philip Sclater
Philip Sclater
Philip Lutley Sclater was an English lawyer and zoologist. In zoology, he was an expert ornithologist, and identified the main zoogeographic regions of the world...
. It is an arboreal and diurnal
Diurnal animal
Diurnality is a plant or animal behavior characterized by activity during the day and sleeping at night.-In animals:Animals that are not diurnal might be nocturnal or crepuscular . Many animal species are diurnal, including many mammals, insects, reptiles and birds...
primate
Primate
A primate is a mammal of the order Primates , which contains prosimians and simians. Primates arose from ancestors that lived in the trees of tropical forests; many primate characteristics represent adaptations to life in this challenging three-dimensional environment...
that lives in the forests of southern Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
. It should not be confused with the closely related species, the white-throated guenon
White-throated Guenon
The white-throated guenon , also known as the red-bellied monkey and the red-bellied guenon, is a diurnal primate that lives on trees of rainforests or tropical areas of Nigeria and Benin....
(Cercopithecus erythrogaster), which occurs in Nigeria and Benin
Benin
Benin , officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. Its small southern coastline on the Bight of Benin is where a majority of the population is located...
. Sclater's guenon was formerly classified as a subspecies of the red-eared guenon
Red-eared Guenon
The red-eared guenon, red-eared monkey, or russet-eared guenon is a species of primate in the Cercopithecidae family. It is found in Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Nigeria. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss....
(C. erythrotis).
The diet of Sclater's guenon is unknown. The species is likely primarily a frugivore
Frugivore
A frugivore is a fruit eater. It can be any type of herbivore or omnivore where fruit is a preferred food type. Because approximately 20% of all mammalian herbivores also eat fruit, frugivory is considered to be common among mammals. Since frugivores eat a lot of fruit they are highly dependent...
that supplements its diet with other plant parts and insects, based on data from closely related species.
Sclater's guenon was thought to be nearly extinct until the late 1980s. The species is now known to occur in several isolated populations between the Niger
Niger River
The Niger River is the principal river of western Africa, extending about . Its drainage basin is in area. Its source is in the Guinea Highlands in southeastern Guinea...
and Cross River
Cross River (Nigeria)
Cross River is the main river in southeastern Nigeria and gives its name to Cross River State.It originates in Cameroon, where it takes the name of the Manyu River....
s in southern Nigeria. This region falls in the Guinean Forests
Guinean Forests of West Africa
The Guinean forests of West Africa is a biodiversity hotspot designated by Conservation International, which includes the belt of tropical moist broadleaf forests along the coast of West Africa, running from Sierra Leone and Guinea in the west to the Sanaga River of Cameroon in the east...
of the West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
biodiversity hotspot
Biodiversity hotspot
A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region with a significant reservoir of biodiversity that is under threat from humans.The concept of biodiversity hotspots was originated by Norman Myers in two articles in “The Environmentalist” , revised after thorough analysis by Myers and others in...
.
The species does not occur in any officially protected areas, but three populations of Sclater's guenon are known to be protected by local people who consider the monkeys to have sacred status. Mostly because of hunting and habitat fragmentation and loss, and thus increasing population isolation and decline, Sclater's guenon is listed as a Vulnerable species.
Sclater's guenon is known to occur in captivity only at the Centre for Education, Rehabilitation, and Conservation of Primates and Nature (CERCOPAN) in Cross River State, Nigeria.
External links
- http://www.cercopan.org/Primates/Guenons/sclaters.htm