Lophocebus aterrimus
(Lophocebus
albigena aterrimus)
[L.
aterrimus aterrimus / L. aterrimus opdenboschi]
1870
Semnocebus by Gray
1890
Lophocebus albigena aterrimus by Oedemans
Cercopithecus aterrimus
by Oedemans
1900
Cercocebus congicus by Schlater
Semnocebus albigena rothschildi
by Lydekker
1903
Lophocebus by Palmer
1906
Cercolophocebus coelognathus by Matschie
1944
Lophocebus albigena opdenboschi by Schouteden Cercocebus
opdenboschi by Schouteden
1978
Moved from Cercocebus to Lophocebus by
1993
L. albigena aterrimus by
1996/1997
L. aterrimus by Oates and
Kingdon
2006
L. aterrimus aterrimus (Northern Black mangabey) and
L. aterrimus opdenboschi (Southern
Black mangabey) by IUCN/SSC Primate Specialist Group
The English translation for the Latin "aterrimus" (aterrarum)
is "dead black" (as opposed to glossy black).
In German the common name is “schopfmangabe”
In Spanish the common name is “mangabey moro onegro”
Information From the Wild
There is little published research on this species from the wild. Distribution of L. aterrimus is in Democratic Republic of Congo, south of the downward bend of the Congo River. L. a. opdenboschi ranges further south to just beyond the DRC-Angola border. It was not until the 1940's that L. aterrimus was seriously removed as a L. albigena subspecies. However, there are some taxonomic systems currently (i.e. ISIS) that has put them back under albigena as a subspecies. Body shape and minor sexual dimorphism (compared to Cercocebus) suggests this species is arboreal (locomotion is palmigrade). Therefore, it is assumed they live in single or multi-male groups of up to 20 individuals.
In a study of the Lomoko Forest, DRC, black mangabeys were the most abundant primate species in the study site (73.1 mangabeys per km2). They were most often encountered in primary forests, rarely in secondary or swamp forest areas. Furthermore, they preferred using the middle to upper canopy layers. Occasionally, they descended to the forest floor, as mangabey footprints were found along stream beds (McGraw, 1994). Black mangabeys were also found in mixed-species association (with Cercopithecus ascanius and/or Cercopithecus wolfi) approximately 57% of the sightings (McGraw, 1994). This may be in response to aerial (e.g. Crowned Hawk Eagles) and scansorial (e.g. felids, snakes and bonobos) hunters of monkeys in this area.
Black mangabeys are one of four primate species in the Botsima region of the Salonga National Park, DRC that are diurnal pollinators of Daniellia pynaertii (Caesalpinoidea). From February to July, licking nectar accounted for a monthly mean of 20% in frequency of the plant foods taken (up to 50% for some troops in February and March) (Gautier-Hion and Maisels, 1994). Repeated visits to individual trees over successive days suggest that nectar flow was either continuous during daylight or being stimulated to flow by repeated licking. Nectar feeding could be a response to the unusually low numbers of “fleshy fruit” bearing plants in the study site (Gautier-Hion and Maisels, 1994).
Description
L. a. aterrimus: The fur is coarse and glossy black. The cheek whiskers are thick, long and swept back in a slight outwardly directed curve contrastingly lighter than the body color (usually some shade of gray). No shoulder mantle or mane. The crest on the head is upstanding and tall. The size of the skull and the color of the cheek whiskers are reported to differ geographically (Groves, 1978). Partial albinism has been reported from museum skins and Schwarz (1910) described a pure white individual at the Rotterdam Zoo. Possess no non-pigmented areas on the upper eyelid areas (unlike Cercocebus).
L. a. opdenboschi: The fur is longer; cheek whiskers are shorter (not curved) with no trace of light color as compared to C. a. aterrimus. The crest is more broad than pyramidal (Groves, 1978). Possess no non-pigmented areas on the upper eyelid areas (unlike Cercocebus).
In Captivity - North American Region
Although two subspecies, L. a. aterrimus and L. a. opdenboschi have been described, it is impossible to determine if one or both of these subspecies have been in the historic North American population. Therefore, this studbook will consider the Black Mangabey at only the species level, L. aterrimus. Since 1934 there have been 77 individuals associated to this region. Current population is 29 individuals. Historically, L. aterrimus has been kept mainly in pairs and pairs with offspring. With the influx of small groups from outside the region, larger captive groups are now formed.
The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (1994) has kept a bachelor group of three males together for a couple of years with a manageable amount of aggression. One of the males died, leaving a bachelor group of two. For 26 cycles of three females at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, the average cycle length was 26 days (24 – 35 days). Peak swelling lasted from 4 to 7 days (5.6 day average) and menses lasted 1 to 5 days (Calli, Chaudhuri and Bowen, 1990). There are currently L. aterrimus in captivity in Europe (Field, pers. comm.).