Mantled Howler

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Mantled Howler[1]
Mantled Howler
Mantled Howler
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Family: Atelidae
Genus: Alouatta
Species: A. palliata
Binomial name
Alouatta palliata
(Gray, 1849)

The Mantled Howler (Alouatta palliata), or sometimes the Golden-mantled Howling Monkey, is a species of howler monkey, a type of New World monkey, from Central and South America. They take their "mantled" name from the long guard hairs on their sides.[3]

Contents

[edit] Subspecies

Several subspecies of Mantled Howler have been recognised:[2]

Two additional subspecies of the Mantled Howler are sometimes recognized, but are more generally recognized as subspecies of the Coiba Island Howler, Allouatta coibensis, although the evidence is not conclusive:[4]

[edit] Basic facts

Mature male Mantled Howler, Alajuela Province, Costa Rica.
Mature male Mantled Howler, Alajuela Province, Costa Rica.
Female (Costa Rican Pacific Dry Forests)
Female (Costa Rican Pacific Dry Forests)
Juvenile (Costa Rican Pacific Dry Forests)
Juvenile (Costa Rican Pacific Dry Forests)

The Mantled Howler is native to Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama.[5] The Mantled Howler is among the most commonly seen (and heard) primates in many Central American national parks, including Manuel Antonio, Corcovado and Soberania.

The Mantled Howler's appearance is similar to other howler monkeys except for coloration. The Mantled Howler is primarily black except for a fringe of gold to buff hair on each side that gives it its common name. When the males reach maturity, the scrotum turns white.[6] Females are 18 to 25 inches in body length and males are 20 to 27 inches. Its prehensile tail is 21 to 26 inches long. Adult females generally weigh between 6 and 17 pounds while males typically weigh 10 to 22 pounds.[7]

[edit] Behaviour

Mantled Howlers utilise a wide range of vocalisations, including barks, grunts, and woofs. The howls characteristic of this group of monkeys, and which earn this species its common name, are produced at dawn and dusk, as well as in response to disturbance. Movement within the rainforest canopy, and floor includes quadrupedalism (walking, running, and galloping on supports), bridging (crossing gaps by stretching), and climbing.[8]

Group size ranges from 10 to 20 members, generally 1 to 3 adult males and 5 to 10 adult females.[9]

Grooming behavior in Mantled Howlers has been shown to reflect social hierarchy, where dominant individuals groom subordinates.[10]

[edit] Conservation

The Mantled Howler monkey is protected from international trade under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). They are most at risk from rainforest fragmentation which has caused forced relocation of groups to less habitable regions.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Groves, Colin (16 November 2005). in Wilson, D. E., and Reeder, D. M. (eds): Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition, Johns Hopkins University Press, 149. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. 
  2. ^ a b Cuarón et al (2003). Alouatta palliata. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 08 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
  3. ^ Glander, K. (1983). in D. Janzen: Alouatta palliata. University of Chicago Press, p. 448-449. 
  4. ^ Rylands, Groves, Mittermeier, Cortes-Ortiz & Hines, "Taxonomy and Distributions of Mesoamerican Primates", New Perspectives in the Study of Mesoamerican Primates, p. 53
  5. ^ Rylands, Groves, Mittermeier, Cortes-Ortiz & Hines (2006). "Taxonomy and Distributions of Mesoamerican Primates", in Estrada, A.; Garber, P.A.; Pavelka, M.S.M.; Luecke, L.: New Perspectives in the Study of Mesoamerican Primates, p. 47. ISBN 978-0-387-25854-6. 
  6. ^ Broekma, I. (2002). Natural History of the Mantled Howler Monkey (Alouatta palliata). Primates of Panama.
  7. ^ Rowe, N. (1996-08-01). The Pictorial Guide to the Living Primates. Pogonias Press, p. 109. ISBN 9780964882515. 
  8. ^ Gebo, D. (1992). "Locomotor and Postural Behavior in Alouatta palliata and Cebus capucinus". American Journal of Primatology 26: 277–290. doi:10.1002/ajp.1350260405. 
  9. ^ Reid, F. (1997). "A Field Guide to the Mammals of Central America and Southeast Mexico". Oxford University Press, Inc.. 
  10. ^ Jones, C. (1979.). "Grooming in the Mantled Howler Monkey, Alouatta palliata (Gray)". Primates 20 (2): 289–292. doi:10.1007/BF02373380. 

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