Myanmar snub-nosed monkey
Encyclopedia
The Myanmar snub-nosed monkey or Burmese snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus strykeri) is a highly threatened
species of colobine monkey
found in northern Burma (Myanmar). The species is known in local dialect
s as mey nwoah (monkey with an upturned face). Rain
allegedly causes it to sneeze due to the short upturned nasal
flesh around its nostrils. People from the area report that it sits with its head directed downwards, hiding its face between its knees when it rains.
in early 2010. The team, led by Swiss primatologist Thomas Geissman and Ngwe Lwin of the Myanmar Biodiversity And Nature Conservation Association, were supported by Fauna & Flora International (FFI) and the People Resources and Conservation Foundation. The species has been given the binomial
name Rhinopithecus strykeri in honour of philanthropist
Jon Stryker
, president and founder of the Arcus Foundation
which also sponsored the project.
The specimen
most closely examined was the skull (with mandible) and skin of a gutted adult male obtained from hunters in Pade
, subsequently deposited in the Anthropological Institute and Museum of the University of Zürich
. Additional sample
skulls of animals killed some three years earlier, one male and one female, were also collected along with a bag made out of the skin of a juvenile caught in January 2010, all obtained in Htantan village.
The team encountered seven live specimens, including an infant, but these moved out of sight before they could be photographed or studied in detail.
is mostly black. Its crown
consists of a thin, high, forward-curved crest of long, black hairs. It has protruding white ear tuft
s, a mostly naked face with pale pink skin, a “moustache” of whitish hairs above the upper lip, and a distinct white chin beard. The perineal
area is white and clearly defined, and the limbs are mostly black; the inner sides of the upper arms and upper legs are blackish brown.
The lips of Rhinopithecus strykeri are prominent, and the nose upturned, allegedly causing the animal to sneeze in rainy weather. Its tail is approximately 1.4 times the body length: the first sample, an adult male, has a head-body length of 55.5 centimetres (21.9 in), and a tail 78 cm (30.7 in) long.
The only known specimens exist in three or four groups within a 270 square kilometres (104.2 sq mi) range at 1700 to 3200 m (5,577.4 to 10,498.7 ft) above sea level in the eastern Himalayas
, in the north-eastern section of Kachin State
, the northernmost part of Burma (Myanmar). The species, the first species of the Rhinopithecus genus
to be found in Myanmar, is isolated from other species of snub-nosed monkey
s by the Mekong
and the Salween
rivers; the other 4 species, golden
, black
, gray
and Tonkin snub-nosed monkeys, are found in China
and Vietnam
.
The known population of R. strykeri is estimated at 260 to 330 individuals.
Other monkey species that inhabit the same area as the Myanmar snub-nosed monkey include the Shortridge's langur
, stump-tailed macaque
, Assam macaque
, rhesus macaque
, and northern pig-tailed macaque
.
due to logging
operations, isolation and hunting
by local humans for food are considered dangers to the small extant population. The known population size is 260-330 individuals and it has been suggested it should be placed in the Critically Endangered
category by the IUCN.
Threatened species
Threatened species are any speciesg animals, plants, fungi, etc.) which are vulnerable to endangerment in the near future.The World Conservation Union is the foremost authority on threatened species, and treats threatened species not as a single category, but as a group of three categories,...
species of colobine monkey
Monkey
A monkey is a primate, either an Old World monkey or a New World monkey. There are about 260 known living species of monkey. Many are arboreal, although there are species that live primarily on the ground, such as baboons. Monkeys are generally considered to be intelligent. Unlike apes, monkeys...
found in northern Burma (Myanmar). The species is known in local dialect
Dialect
The term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by linguists. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors,...
s as mey nwoah (monkey with an upturned face). Rain
Rain
Rain is liquid precipitation, as opposed to non-liquid kinds of precipitation such as snow, hail and sleet. Rain requires the presence of a thick layer of the atmosphere to have temperatures above the melting point of water near and above the Earth's surface...
allegedly causes it to sneeze due to the short upturned nasal
Nose
Anatomically, a nose is a protuberance in vertebrates that houses the nostrils, or nares, which admit and expel air for respiration in conjunction with the mouth. Behind the nose are the olfactory mucosa and the sinuses. Behind the nasal cavity, air next passes through the pharynx, shared with the...
flesh around its nostrils. People from the area report that it sits with its head directed downwards, hiding its face between its knees when it rains.
Scientific identification and taxonomy
The species came to the attention of a team of scientists allied to the "Myanmar Primate Conservation Program" researching the status of the Hoolock GibbonHoolock gibbon
The hoolock gibbons , also known as hoolocks, are two primate species from the family of the gibbons .Hoolocks are the second largest of the gibbons, after the Siamang. They reach a size of 60 to 90 cm and weigh 6 to 9 kg...
in early 2010. The team, led by Swiss primatologist Thomas Geissman and Ngwe Lwin of the Myanmar Biodiversity And Nature Conservation Association, were supported by Fauna & Flora International (FFI) and the People Resources and Conservation Foundation. The species has been given the binomial
Binomial
In algebra, a binomial is a polynomial with two terms —the sum of two monomials—often bound by parenthesis or brackets when operated upon...
name Rhinopithecus strykeri in honour of philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
Jon Stryker
Jon Stryker
Jon Lloyd Stryker is an American architect, philanthropist and activist for social and environmental causes. He is a billionaire stockholder and heir to the Stryker Corporation medical supply company fortunes of grandfather Homer Stryker alongside sisters Pat and Ronda...
, president and founder of the Arcus Foundation
Arcus Foundation
Arcus Foundation is a private foundation in the United States, that supports groups working globally to promote great ape conservation as well as supporting human social justice causes, including sexual orientation, gender, racial equality and rights, and pluralism, particularly through the...
which also sponsored the project.
The specimen
Holotype
A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype...
most closely examined was the skull (with mandible) and skin of a gutted adult male obtained from hunters in Pade
Pade
Pade is a village in Hsawlaw Township in Myitkyina District in the Kachin State of north-eastern Burma..-External links:**...
, subsequently deposited in the Anthropological Institute and Museum of the University of Zürich
University of Zurich
The University of Zurich , located in the city of Zurich, is the largest university in Switzerland, with over 25,000 students. It was founded in 1833 from the existing colleges of theology, law, medicine and a new faculty of philosophy....
. Additional sample
Paratype
Paratype is a technical term used in the scientific naming of species and other taxa of organisms. The exact meaning of the term paratype when it is used in zoology is not the same as the meaning when it is used in botany...
skulls of animals killed some three years earlier, one male and one female, were also collected along with a bag made out of the skin of a juvenile caught in January 2010, all obtained in Htantan village.
The team encountered seven live specimens, including an infant, but these moved out of sight before they could be photographed or studied in detail.
Physical characteristics
The monkey's furFur
Fur is a synonym for hair, used more in reference to non-human animals, usually mammals; particularly those with extensives body hair coverage. The term is sometimes used to refer to the body hair of an animal as a complete coat, also known as the "pelage". Fur is also used to refer to animal...
is mostly black. Its crown
Crown (anatomy)
A crown is the top of the head.The following birds and other animals are said to have a crown on their head:* Cranes** Grey-crowned Crane** Red-crowned Crane** Black-crowned Crane* Crowned eagle* Gray-crowned Rosy Finch* Yellow-crowned Gonolek...
consists of a thin, high, forward-curved crest of long, black hairs. It has protruding white ear tuft
Tuft
In the aviation field, the term tuft refers to a strip of yarn or string of varying length attached to an aircraft surface in a grid pattern and imaged during flight. The motion of these tufts during flight can be observed and recorded in order to locate flow features such as boundary layer...
s, a mostly naked face with pale pink skin, a “moustache” of whitish hairs above the upper lip, and a distinct white chin beard. The perineal
Perineal
Perineal can refer to:* The perineum* Perineal artery* Perineal nerve...
area is white and clearly defined, and the limbs are mostly black; the inner sides of the upper arms and upper legs are blackish brown.
The lips of Rhinopithecus strykeri are prominent, and the nose upturned, allegedly causing the animal to sneeze in rainy weather. Its tail is approximately 1.4 times the body length: the first sample, an adult male, has a head-body length of 55.5 centimetres (21.9 in), and a tail 78 cm (30.7 in) long.
Distribution and habitat
The species spend summer months in temperate mixed forests at upper altitudes of their range, and descend to lower ground in the winter to escape snow.The only known specimens exist in three or four groups within a 270 square kilometres (104.2 sq mi) range at 1700 to 3200 m (5,577.4 to 10,498.7 ft) above sea level in the eastern Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
, in the north-eastern section of Kachin State
Kachin State
Kachin State , is the northernmost state of Burma. It is bordered by China to the north and east; Shan State to the south; and Sagaing Division and India to the west. It lies between north latitude 23° 27' and 28° 25' longitude 96° 0' and 98° 44'. The area of Kachin State is . The capital of the...
, the northernmost part of Burma (Myanmar). The species, the first species of the Rhinopithecus genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
to be found in Myanmar, is isolated from other species of snub-nosed monkey
Snub-nosed monkey
Snub-nosed monkeys are a group of Old World monkeys and make up the entirety of the genus Rhinopithecus. The genus occurs rarely and needs much more research...
s by the Mekong
Mekong
The Mekong is a river that runs through China, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. It is the world's 10th-longest river and the 7th-longest in Asia. Its estimated length is , and it drains an area of , discharging of water annually....
and the Salween
Salween River
The Salween is a river, about long, that flows from the Tibetan Plateau into the Andaman Sea in Southeast Asia. It drains a narrow and mountainous watershed of that extends into the countries China, Burma and Thailand. Steep canyon walls line the swift, powerful and undammed Salween, one of the...
rivers; the other 4 species, golden
Golden Snub-nosed Monkey
The golden snub-nosed monkey is an Old World monkey in the Colobinae subfamily. It is endemic to a small area in temperate, mountainous forests of central and Southwest China. The Chinese name is sichuan golden hair monkey . It is also widely referred to as the sichuan snub-nosed monkey...
, black
Black Snub-nosed Monkey
The black snub-nosed monkey , also known as the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey, is an endangered species of primate in the Cercopithecidae family. It is endemic to China, where it is known to the locals as the Yunnan golden hair monkey and the black golden hair monkey...
, gray
Gray Snub-nosed Monkey
The gray snub-nosed monkey , also known as the Guizhou snub-nosed monkey, is a species of primate in the Cercopithecidae family. It is endemic to China, where it is known as the Guizhou golden hair monkey or gray golden hair monkey . It is threatened by habitat loss...
and Tonkin snub-nosed monkeys, are found in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
.
The known population of R. strykeri is estimated at 260 to 330 individuals.
Other monkey species that inhabit the same area as the Myanmar snub-nosed monkey include the Shortridge's langur
Shortridge's Langur
Shortridge's langur is a lutung native to Burma and China....
, stump-tailed macaque
Stump-tailed Macaque
The stump-tailed macaque , also called the bear macaque, is a species of macaque found in Southern Asia. In India, it is found in south of the Brahmaputra river, in northeastern part of the country.Its range in India extends from Assam and Meghalaya to eastern Aruanchal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur,...
, Assam macaque
Assam Macaque
The Assam macaque is a macaque of the Old World monkey family native to South and Southeast Asia. Since 2008, the species is listed as Near Threatened by IUCN, as it is experiencing significant declines due to hunting, habitat degradation and fragmentation.- Characteristics :The Assam macaque has...
, rhesus macaque
Rhesus Macaque
The Rhesus macaque , also called the Rhesus monkey, is one of the best-known species of Old World monkeys. It is listed as Least Concern in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in view of its wide distribution, presumed large population, and its tolerance of a broad range of habitats...
, and northern pig-tailed macaque
Northern Pig-tailed Macaque
The northern pig-tailed macaque is a species of primate in the Cercopithecidae family. It is found in Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. Traditionally, it has been considered a subspecies of M. nemestrina...
.
Conservation status
DeforestationDeforestation
Deforestation is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a nonforest use. Examples of deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or urban use....
due to logging
Logging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
operations, isolation and hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
by local humans for food are considered dangers to the small extant population. The known population size is 260-330 individuals and it has been suggested it should be placed in the Critically Endangered
Critically Endangered
Critically Endangered is the highest risk category assigned by the IUCN Red List for wild species. Critically Endangered means that a species' numbers have decreased, or will decrease, by 80% within three generations....
category by the IUCN.