Niger Delta Red Colobus
Encyclopedia
The Niger Delta red colobus (Procolobus epieni) is a species of colobus monkey. From the time it first became known to science in 1993 until 2007 or 2008 it was considered a subspecies of the western red colobus
, Procolobus badius and more recently Pennant's colobus
, Procolobus pennantii, and its trinomial name was Procolobus badius epieni or Procolobus pennantii epieni. Colin Groves
recognized the Niger Delta red colobus as a full species in 2007, although Groves considered all the red colobus monkeys, including the Niger Delta red colobus to be in the genus Piliocolobus, rather than Procolobus
. However, other authors consider Piliocolobus to be a subgenus
of Procolobus.
The Niger Delta red colobus is black on top from the head to the rump, becoming orange-brown on the sides and outer legs. The undersides and inner legs, and most of the arms are white. The hands and feet are black. The tail is red-brown on top and chestnut or maroon below, becoming darker towards the tip. It has white whiskers.
The Niger Delta red colobus is found only in the western part of the Niger Delta
. It is restricted to marsh forest, that is, forest with a high water table
year round but no significant flooding. It shares this habitat with several other primate
species, including the Nigerian white-throated guenon (Cercopithecus erythrogaster pococki), the red-capped mangabey (Cercocebus torquatus), the putty-nosed monkey (Cercopithecus nictitans), the mona monkey
(Cercopithecus mona), and maybe also the olive colobus
(Procolobus verus).
When it was first discovered, the Niger Delta red colobus was locally common but under some pressure from deforestation, especially logging of Hallea ledermannii
, which is an important food tree for the monkey.
Since then, pressure from bushmeat
hunting and logging has increased.
Red colobus monkeys generally appear to be particularly sensitive to hunting and habitat disturbance, hence concerns that the species may be on the verge of extinction.
The Niger Delta red colobus was still found in the Edumanom Forest Reserve
in 2008.
However, as of 2008, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) considers they were critically endangered, due a reduction in population of more than 80% over the past 30 years, due largely to hunting and habitat loss. In 2010, the Niger Delta red colobus was included in the list of The World’s 25 Most Endangered Primates, published by the IUCN and other organizations.
Western Red Colobus
The western red colobus is a species of Old World monkey found in West African forests from Senegal to Ghana. All other species of red colobuses have formerly been considered subspecies of P. badius. It is often hunted by the common chimpanzee...
, Procolobus badius and more recently Pennant's colobus
Pennant's Colobus
Pennant's colobus is a species of primate in the Cercopithecidae family. Its distribution is peculiarly disjunct and has been considered a biogeographical puzzle, with one population on the island of Bioko , a second in the Niger River Delta in southern Nigeria, and a third in east-central...
, Procolobus pennantii, and its trinomial name was Procolobus badius epieni or Procolobus pennantii epieni. Colin Groves
Colin Groves
Colin Peter Groves is Professor of Biological Anthropology at the Australian National University in Canberra, Australia.Born in England on 24 June 1942, Colin Groves completed a Bachelor of Science at University College London in 1963, and a Doctor of Philosophy at the Royal Free Hospital School of...
recognized the Niger Delta red colobus as a full species in 2007, although Groves considered all the red colobus monkeys, including the Niger Delta red colobus to be in the genus Piliocolobus, rather than Procolobus
Procolobus
Procolobus is the genus of the red colobus monkeys and the olive colobus. Some authorities restrict the genus Procolobus to the olive colobus, placing the remaining in Piliocolobus. They are found in Africa where almost entirely restricted to forests...
. However, other authors consider Piliocolobus to be a subgenus
Subgenus
In biology, a subgenus is a taxonomic rank directly below genus.In zoology, a subgeneric name can be used independently or included in a species name, in parentheses, placed between the generic name and the specific epithet: e.g. the Tiger Cowry of the Indo-Pacific, Cypraea tigris Linnaeus, which...
of Procolobus.
The Niger Delta red colobus is black on top from the head to the rump, becoming orange-brown on the sides and outer legs. The undersides and inner legs, and most of the arms are white. The hands and feet are black. The tail is red-brown on top and chestnut or maroon below, becoming darker towards the tip. It has white whiskers.
The Niger Delta red colobus is found only in the western part of the Niger Delta
Niger Delta
The Niger Delta, the delta of the Niger River in Nigeria, is a densely populated region sometimes called the Oil Rivers because it was once a major producer of palm oil...
. It is restricted to marsh forest, that is, forest with a high water table
Water table
The water table is the level at which the submarine pressure is far from atmospheric pressure. It may be conveniently visualized as the 'surface' of the subsurface materials that are saturated with groundwater in a given vicinity. However, saturated conditions may extend above the water table as...
year round but no significant flooding. It shares this habitat with several other 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...
species, including the Nigerian white-throated guenon (Cercopithecus erythrogaster pococki), the red-capped mangabey (Cercocebus torquatus), the putty-nosed monkey (Cercopithecus nictitans), the mona monkey
Mona Monkey
The mona monkey is an Old World monkey that lives throughout western Africa. The mona monkey can also be found on the island of Grenada as it was transported to the island aboard slave ships headed to the New World during the 18th century. This guenon lives in groups of up to 35 in arboreal regions...
(Cercopithecus mona), and maybe also the olive colobus
Olive Colobus
The olive colobus or Van Beneden's colobus is a species of primate in the Cercopithecidae family. It is found in tropical West Africa, ranging from Sierra Leone to Nigeria. Its natural habitats are second growth within tall forests, palm forests and swamps...
(Procolobus verus).
When it was first discovered, the Niger Delta red colobus was locally common but under some pressure from deforestation, especially logging of Hallea ledermannii
Hallea ledermannii
Hallea ledermannii is a species of plant in the Rubiaceae family. It is found in Angola, Benin, Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Liberia, and Nigeria. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:* African Regional...
, which is an important food tree for the monkey.
Since then, pressure from bushmeat
Bushmeat
Bushmeat initially referred to the hunting of wild animals in West and Central Africa and is a calque from the French viande de brousse. Today the term is commonly used for meat of terrestrial wild animals, killed for subsistence or commercial purposes throughout the humid tropics of the Americas,...
hunting and logging has increased.
Red colobus monkeys generally appear to be particularly sensitive to hunting and habitat disturbance, hence concerns that the species may be on the verge of extinction.
The Niger Delta red colobus was still found in the Edumanom Forest Reserve
Edumanom Forest Reserve
The Edumanom Forest Reserve is an area in the Niger Delta region of southeast Nigeria that is home to some of the last chimpanzees in Nigeria. It covers part of the old Nembe Kingdom, now divided into the Nembe and Brass local government areas, in Bayelsa State.The reserve is a Freshwater Swamp...
in 2008.
However, as of 2008, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) considers they were critically endangered, due a reduction in population of more than 80% over the past 30 years, due largely to hunting and habitat loss. In 2010, the Niger Delta red colobus was included in the list of The World’s 25 Most Endangered Primates, published by the IUCN and other organizations.