The doucs or douc langurs make up the genus Pygathrix. They are colobine Old World monkeys, native to Southeast Asia, which consists of these 3 species: red-shanked douc, black-shanked douc, and gray-shanked douc.

Douc[1]
Red-shanked douc (Pygathrix nemaeus) at the Philadelphia Zoo
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Suborder: Haplorhini
Infraorder: Simiiformes
Family: Cercopithecidae
Subfamily: Colobinae
Tribe: Presbytini
Genus: Pygathrix
É. Geoffroy, 1812
Type species
Simia nemaeus
Linnaeus, 1771
Species

See text

Description edit

The doucs are colobine Old World monkeys, which make up the genus Pygathrix. They are native to Southeast Asia.

Classification edit

Even though they are known as "douc langurs", they are in fact more closely related to the proboscis monkey and snub-nosed monkeys than to any of the langurs. They are part of the subfamily Colobinae of the family Cercopithecidae.

Genus PygathrixLinnaeus, 1771 – three species
Common name Scientific name and subspecies Range Size and ecology IUCN status and estimated population
Black-shanked douc

 

P. nigripes
(A. Milne-Edwards, 1871)
Southeastern Asia
 
Size: 60–76 cm (24–30 in) long, plus 56–76 cm (22–30 in) tail[2]

Habitat: Forest[3]

Diet: Leaves, as well as seeds, fruit and flowers[3]
 CR 


Unknown  [3]

Gray-shanked douc

 

P. cinerea
Nadler, 1997
Southeastern Asia
 
Size: About 60 cm (24 in) long, plus 59–68 cm (23–27 in) tail[2]

Habitat: Forest[4]

Diet: Leaves, as well as buds, fruit, seeds, and flowers[5]
 CR 


Unknown  [4]

Red-shanked douc

 

P. nemaeus
(Linnaeus, 1771)
Southeastern Asia
 
Size: 61–77 cm (24–30 in) long, plus 55–77 cm (22–30 in) tail[6]

Habitat: Forest[7]

Diet: Leaves, as well as unripe frui, seeds, and flowers[6]
 CR 


Unknown  [7]

Appearance edit

Doucs have a distinct appearance. The red-shanked douc characteristically has bright maroon legs and reddish patches around the eyes. In contrast, the grey-shanked douc is less vibrant, with speckled grey legs and orange markings on the face. Both have dappled grey bodies, black hands and feet and white cheeks, although the cheek hairs of the red-shanked douc are much longer. The black-shanked douc has black legs. Their long hind limbs and tail allow these monkeys to be very agile in their treetop habitat.

Behavior edit

They live in small family groups headed by one adult male. A single group may have several adult females, and many children. Young males unaffiliated with a family group often make their own troops. Females usually bear a single offspring at a time, which is suckled for about a year.[8]

References edit

  1. ^ Groves, C. P. (2005). 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. 173. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. OCLC 62265494.
  2. ^ a b Petter; Desbordes, p. 118
  3. ^ a b c Duc, H.; Quyet, L. K.; Rawson, B. M.; O'Brien, J.; Covert, H. (2021) [amended version of 2020 assessment]. "Pygathrix nigripes". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021: e.T39828A196138291. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T39828A196138291.en.
  4. ^ a b Long, H. T.; Duc, H.; Quyet, L. K.; Rawson, B. M.; Nadler, T.; Covert, H. (2020). "Pygathrix cinerea". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T39827A17941672. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T39827A17941672.en.
  5. ^ Berger, Matt (2009). "Pygathrix cinerea". Animal Diversity Web. University of Michigan. Archived from the original on January 24, 2023. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  6. ^ a b Hara, Carla (2003). "Pygathrix nemaeus". Animal Diversity Web. University of Michigan. Archived from the original on August 12, 2023. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  7. ^ a b Coudrat, C. N. Z.; Quyet, L. K.; Duc, H.; Phiaphalath, P.; Rawson, B. M.; Nadler, T.; Ulibarri, L.; Duckworth, J. W. (2020). "Pygathrix nemaeus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T39826A17941247. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T39826A17941247.en.
  8. ^ Felix, Dr. Jiri. "Animals of Asia". London: Hamlyn Publishing Group, 1983.

Sources edit

External links edit