A new species of snub‐nosed monkey, genus Rhinopithecus Milne‐Edwards, 1872 (Primates, Colobinae), from northern Kachin state, northeastern Myanmar

Abstract

We describe a snub-nosed monkey that is new to science from the high altitudes of northeastern Kachin state, northeastern Myanmar, the Burmese snub-nosed monkey, Rhinopithecus strykeri sp. nov. Descriptions are based on a skin and skulls of four specimens obtained from local hunters. The new species is geographically isolated from other snub-nosed monkeys and separated from them by two major barriers--the Mekong and the Salween (Thanlwin) rivers. The species is chiefly diagnosed by its almost entirely blackish fur coloration with white fur only on ear tufts, chin beard, and perineal area, and its relatively long tail (140% of head and body length in the adult male). Preliminary surveys and interviews with hunters indicate that the new species is limited in distribution to the Maw River area, a small region of the Salween-N'mai Hka divide in northeastern Kachin state, northeastern Myanmar. The distribution area appears to cover about 270 km(2), and the species may consist of only three groups with a total population of approximately 260-330 individuals. Our data on hunting pressure suggest that the species is Critically Endangered.

Age‐ and sex‐based patterns of positional behavior and substrate utilization in the golden snub‐nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana)

“…Although there are several studies of postural and locomotor behavior in other genera of African and Asian colobines (Tables VI and VII), of the five species of Rhinopithecus currently recognized [Geissmann et al, 2011], data are available only for the black and white snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus bieti). A recent study of substrate preference and postural behavior (but not locomotor behavior) by Grueter et al [2013] reported that black and white snub-nosed monkeys spent 20% of their time on the ground, with adult males engaging in more terrestrial behaviors than all other age/sex classes.…”

Altitudinal Movements of Guizhou Snub-Nosed Monkeys (Rhinopithecus brelichi) in Fanjingshan National Nature Reserve, China: Implications for Conservation Management of a Flagship Species

“…The Yunnan snub-nosed monkey (R. bieti) , the Sichuan snubnosed monkey (R. roxellana) and the Guizhou snub-nosed monkey (R. brelichi) are endemic to China, the Tonkin snub-nosed monkey (R. avunculus) is found in northern Vietnam, and the newly discovered Burmese snub-nosed monkey (R. strykeri sp. nov.) has been sighted in northeastern Myanmar [Geissmann et al, 2011]. Once widespread, the extant populations of snub-nosed monkeys are thought to be Pleistocene relics [Colbert and Hooijer, 1953;Jablonski, 1998].…”

“…nov. at 1,400-3,400 and 1,720-3,190 m, respectively, in temperate mixed deciduous broadleaf and conifer forest and R. bieti at 2,600-4,600 m in temperate mixed forest dominated by fir [Kirkpatrick, 1998;Yang et al, 2002;Tan et al, 2007;Li et al, 2008;Grueter et al, 2009;Geissmann et al, 2011;Kirkpatrick and Grueter, 2010;Li et al, 2010]. Regarding al-titudinal ranging, it has been suggested that R. bieti and R. roxellana adjust their movements in relation to food availability, human activities and climate [Hu et al, 1980;Zhao et al, 1988;Kirkpatrick and Long, 1994;Kirkpatrick et al, 1998;Su et al, 1998;Yang, 2003;Liu et al, 2004;Tan et al, 2007;Li et al, 2008;Zhong et al, 2008].…”

Influence of Human Activities on the Historical and Current Distribution of Sichuan Snub-Nosed Monkeys in the Qinling Mountains, China

“…Four Rhinopithecus species are endemic to China, including the Sichuan or Golden ( R. roxellana ), Yunnan or Black (R. bieti) , Guizhou or Grey (R. brelichi) and newly found Myanmar or Burmese (R. strykeri) snub-nosed monkeys [Geissmann et al, 2010]. Though limited to isolated regions, they form a graded geographical array from R. brelichi in subtropical evergreen and deciduous broad-leaf forests at less than 1,000 m elevation to R. bieti in temperate, coniferous forests at elevations as high as 3,000-4,500 m, where annual average temperatures hover near freezing [Pan and Yong, 1989;Boonratana and Le, 1998].…”