Tuesday, September 09, 2008

LUTUNG


The Silvery Lutung (Trachypithecus cristatus), also known as the Silvered Leaf Monkey or the Silvery Langur, is an Old World monkey with grey tips on dark brown or black fur, although the groin and ventral side of the tail are yellowish in color. Females range from 46-51cm with an average weight of 5.7kg and a tail length of 67-75cm. Males are 50-58cm with an average weight of 6.6kg and a tail length of 67-75cm. When born this monkey is orange, developing its adult coats around three months. It has a highly complex, large stomach to digest the cellulose found in its herbivorous diet. This species is the type of its species group.

The Silvered Leaf Monkey is arboreal, living in coastal, mangrove, and riverine forests from Burma to Indochina and Borneo. Groups range from 9-30 individuals with one adult male and many adult females communally caring for infants. The adult male protects his group and territory from competing males, communicating his dominance to other males via vocalizations and fighting.

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