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Cercocebus torquatusred-capped mangabey

By Khoa Huu Nguyen

Geographic Range

Species of collared mangabey are found in West Africa and distributed from Guinea to Gabon.

(Wilson, 1993)

Habitat

Collared mangabeys are arboreal as well as terrestrial, but they mainly inhabit lower levels of the forests, especially in swamp forests. Their flexibility on the ground and among the trees allows them to have a rather broad range of habitat, including swamp and agricultural areas. Collared mangabeys typically use the trees to obtain foods and as a haven for hiding and sleeping, but they usually escape enemies and predators (leopards and eagles) terrestrially (on the ground).

(Parker, 1990 and Hill, 1974)

Physical Description

  • Average mass
    9492.5 g
    334.54 oz
    AnAge

Reproduction

Most collared mangabey reach sexual maturity at age 5-7 years. The gestation period lasts for about 170 days, and a female gives birth to only a single young each time. The average weight of each young is unknown. It seems that collared mangabeys lack a well-defined breeding period; however, most of our information derives from species living in captivity and little is known about their reproduction in the wild.

(Parker, 1990 and Hill, 1974)

  • Breeding season
    Collared mangabeys lack a well-defined breeding season.
  • Average number of offspring
    1
  • Average number of offspring
    1
    AnAge
  • Average gestation period
    170 days
  • Average gestation period
    167 days
    AnAge
  • Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female)
    5 to 7 years
  • Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male)
    5 to 7 years
  • Parental Investment
  • pre-fertilization
    • provisioning
    • protecting
      • female
  • pre-hatching/birth
    • provisioning
      • female
    • protecting
      • female
  • pre-weaning/fledging
    • provisioning
      • female
    • protecting
      • female
  • extended period of juvenile learning

Lifespan/Longevity

Behavior

Collared mangabeys are found in social groups containing 10-35 individuals. These groups contain several males, and most of them coexist peacefully and rarely display any type of dominance behavior. Each member within a group exhibits very expressive behavior. It walks with its tail arched over its back, with the white tip held just above its head. The tail movement and the tapping of its head may provide social cues or serve as a form of communication with other members of the group. In addition, many collared mangabeys display by continuously lifting and lowering their conspicuous white eyelids.

(Parker, 1990 and Hill, 1974)

Communication and Perception

Food Habits

Similar to other species of Cercocebus, collared mangabeys feed on fruits, nuts, seeds, young leaves, grass, mushrooms, and invertebrates.

(Parker, 1990)

  • Animal Foods
  • insects
  • Plant Foods
  • leaves
  • seeds, grains, and nuts
  • fruit
  • Other Foods
  • fungus

Economic Importance for Humans: Negative

Many natives allege the collar mangabeys raid plantations, causing severe damage to crops.

(Parker, 1990 and Hill, 1974)

Conservation Status

Other Comments

Cerocebus is Greek for "tail monkey." (Hill, 1974)

Contributors

Khoa Huu Nguyen (author), University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.

Glossary

Ethiopian

living in sub-Saharan Africa (south of 30 degrees north) and Madagascar.

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bilateral symmetry

having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror-image halves. Animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides, as well as anterior and posterior ends. Synapomorphy of the Bilateria.

chemical

uses smells or other chemicals to communicate

endothermic

animals that use metabolically generated heat to regulate body temperature independently of ambient temperature. Endothermy is a synapomorphy of the Mammalia, although it may have arisen in a (now extinct) synapsid ancestor; the fossil record does not distinguish these possibilities. Convergent in birds.

iteroparous

offspring are produced in more than one group (litters, clutches, etc.) and across multiple seasons (or other periods hospitable to reproduction). Iteroparous animals must, by definition, survive over multiple seasons (or periodic condition changes).

motile

having the capacity to move from one place to another.

native range

the area in which the animal is naturally found, the region in which it is endemic.

omnivore

an animal that mainly eats all kinds of things, including plants and animals

sexual

reproduction that includes combining the genetic contribution of two individuals, a male and a female

social

associates with others of its species; forms social groups.

tactile

uses touch to communicate

viviparous

reproduction in which fertilization and development take place within the female body and the developing embryo derives nourishment from the female.

year-round breeding

breeding takes place throughout the year

References

Grzimek, Bernhard. 1972. Animal Life Encyclopedia. Vol 10. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., New York.

Hill, W.C. Osman. 1974. Primates. Vol VII. Halsted Press, New York.

Inskipp, Tim, and J. Barzdo. 1987. World Checklist of Threatened Mammals. Published by the Nature Conservancy Council.

Nowak, Ronald. 1991. Wlaker's Mammals of the World. 5th Edition. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London.

Parker, Sybil. 1990. Grzimek's Encyclopedia of Mammals. Vol 2. McGraw-Hill Publishing Co., New York.

Wilson, D.E. and D. M. Reader. 1993. Mammal Species of the World. 2nd Edition. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washingtion and London.

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