New Insights into Samango Monkey Speciation in South Africa

Abstract

The samango monkey is South Africa's only exclusively forest dwelling primate and represents the southernmost extent of the range of arboreal guenons in Africa. The main threats to South Africa's forests and thus to the samango are linked to increasing land-use pressure and increasing demands for forest resources, resulting in deforestation, degradation and further fragmentation of irreplaceable habitats. The species belongs to the highly polytypic Cercopithecus nictitans group which is sometimes divided into two species C. mitis and C. albogularis. The number of subspecies of C. albogularis is also under debate and is based only on differences in pelage colouration and thus far no genetic research has been undertaken on South African samango monkey populations. In this study we aim to further clarify the number of samango monkey subspecies, as well as their respective distributions in South Africa by combining molecular, morphometric and pelage data. Overall, our study provides the most comprehensive view to date into the taxonomic description of samango monkeys in South Africa. Our data supports the identification of three distinct genetic entities namely; C. a. labiatus, C. a. erythrarchus and C. a. schwarzi and argues for separate conservation management of the distinct genetic entities defined by this study.

The evolution of the Cercopithecini: a (post)modern synthesis

“…33 However, resident male status, of itself, is regarded as a demonstration of male strength and desirability, so separating the two effects is difficult. Consequently, these species are difficult to distinguish solely on the basis of pelage coloration, 8,37 partially explaining difficulties in their taxonomic resolution. 35 Alarm and mobbing calls are phylogenetically conservative 35,36 and widely understood among cercopithecin species.…”

“…Vocal communication plays the major role in specific-mate recognition in some species complexes, notably the Cercopithecus mitis superspecies. Consequently, these species are difficult to distinguish solely on the basis of pelage coloration, 8,37 partially explaining difficulties in their taxonomic resolution.…”

Reliance on Exotic Plants by Two Groups of Threatened Samango Monkeys, Cercopithecus albogularis labiatus, at Their Southern Range Limit

“…The samango monkey (Cercopithecus albogularis, subspecies labiatus, erythrarchus and schwarzi: Dalton et al 2015), a forest specialist, is nationally threatened in South Africa (Linden et al 2016) where it is becoming increasingly isolated and detrimentally affected by forest fragmentation and deforestation from historic logging and ongoing forestry plantations (Friedman and Daly 2004;Kingdon et al 2008;Lawes 1992). Groups are reluctant to disperse between forest patches or to inhabit small and isolated forest fragments (Friedman and Daly 2004;Lawes 1992Lawes , 2002.…”

Influence of live-capture on risk perceptions of habituated samango monkeys

“…Cercopithecus mitis group widely distributed across Africa but rare in South Africa, where they 129 6 are limited to Afro-montane and coastal forest fragments (Dalton et al 2015). capture by an experienced veterinarian, and carried to a nearby area to be measured, ear-tagged, 165…”