Sue Averill San Diego Zoo 2000 CONTENTS Introduction: Husbandry 1 Reproduction 2 Introductions 2 Bibliography 4 Age Pyramid Report 5 Census 6 Fecundity 7 Mortality 8 Location Glossary 9 Data Fields 11 Historical Listings Living Population by Institution EXCERPT FROM INTRODUCTION: Allen's Swamp Monkey (Allenopithicus rligroviridis) Allen's Swamp Monkey (Allenopithecus nigroviridis) is a swamp dwelling monkey native to the central Congo River basin. The coat is a plain olive black, with a white to gold underbelly. There is a distinct sexual dimorphism, with females weighing 3.5 to 4.5 kilograms males 6 to 8 kilograms. Allen's Swamp Monkeys are excellent swimmers. Youngsters take to the water with no encouragement, and quickly learn to swim extended distances underwater. Two juveniles in San Diego wrestle underwater with Spot-necked otters (Hydrictis maculicollis). Adults spend less time in the water, but can become accomplished fisherman. Slight webbing between fingers and toes is an apparent aquatic adaptation. National Zoo and the San Diego Zoo both acquired Allen's Swamp Monkeys for exhibit in 1953. The first captive birth, a male, occurred in San Diego on June 10, 1959. Since then, they have reproduced reliably for 40 captive births. Though elusive in the wild, they have been sighted associating with Red-tailed guenons (Cercopithicus ascinius) and Wolf's guenons (Cercopithecus wolfi). In captivity they are successfully housed with Guereza colobus (Colobus guereza) and with Red-tailed guenons and Spot-necked otters. Allen's Swamp Monkeys belong to a unique genus, Allenopithecus. They possess only 48 chromosomes, fewer than any other Cercopithecidae. They are probably most closely related to the ancestral guenon, forming a link between guenons and mangabeys. Like mangabeys, female swamp monkeys exhibit sexual swelling, a monthly swelling of perineal tissue coinciding with ovulation. HOW TO OBTAIN: To borrow this document, contact Joanne Brown (brown@primate.wisc.edu), Head of Technical Services, Wisconsin Primate Research Center Library and Information Service, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Fax: 1-608-263-3512
URL: http://www.primate.wisc.edu/pin/review/allens.html
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April 30, 2002
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