Cercopithecinae

The Cercopithecinae are a subfamily of the Old World monkeys, which comprises roughly 71 species, including the baboons, the macaques, and the vervet monkeys. Most cercopithecine monkeys are limited to sub-Saharan Africa, although the macaques range from the far eastern parts of Asia through northern Africa, as well as on Gibraltar.

Cercopithecine monkeys
Mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Suborder: Haplorhini
Infraorder: Simiiformes
Family: Cercopithecidae
Subfamily: Cercopithecinae
Gray, 1821
Tribes

Cercopithecini - 5 Genera
Papionini - 7 Genera

Characteristics

The various species are adapted to the different terrains they inhabit. Arboreal species are slim, delicate, and have a long tail, while terrestrial species are stockier and their tails can be small or completely nonexistent. All species have well-developed thumbs. Some species have ischial callosities on their rump, which can change their colour during their mating periods.

These monkeys are diurnal and live together in social groups. They live in all types of terrain and climate, from rain forests, savannah, and bald rocky areas, to cool or even snowy mountains, such as the Japanese macaque.

Most species are omnivorous, with diets ranging from fruits, leaves, seeds, buds, and mushrooms to insects, spiders, and smaller vertebrates. All species possess cheek pouches in which they can store food.[1]

Gestation lasts around six to seven months. Young are weaned after three to 12 months and are fully mature within three to five years. The life expectancy of some species can be as long as 50 years.

Classification

The Cercopithinae are often split into two tribes, Cercopithecini and Papionini, as shown in the list of genera below.

 
 
 
 

Homo

 
 

Pan

 
 
 

Hylobates

 
 
 
 
Cercopithecinae
 
 

Macaca

 
 
 
 

Papio

 
 

Theropithecus

 
 
 

Cercocebus

 
 
 
 
 
 

Chlorocebus

 
 

Erythrocebus

 
 
 

Miopithecus

 
 
 
Colobinae
 
 

Colobus

 
 
 
 

Pygathrix

 
 

Nasalis

 
 
 

Trachypithecus

 
 
 
 
 
Phylogenetic position of the Cercopithecinae.[2]

See also

References
  1. Strier, Karen B. (2007). Primate behavioral ecology (3rd ed.). Boston: Pearson Allyn and Bacon. p. 61. ISBN 9780205444328.
  2. Jinchuan Xing, Hui Wang, Kyudong Han, David A. Ray, Cheney H. Huang, Leona G. Chemnick, Caro-Beth Stewart, Todd R. Disotell, Oliver A. Ryder, Mark A. Batzer 2005. A mobile element based phylogeny of Old World monkeys. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 37 :872–880
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