1985/02/14 by John F. Oates · 4 citations
Environmental Science · Agricultural and Biological Sciences · #Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies #Wildlife Ecology and Conservation #Plant and animal studies
paper · doi:10.1159/000156189
openalex publication_date 1985/02/14 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/05/21
Field observations and a study of museum skins showed that Cercopithecus erythrogaster is less variable than some accounts have suggested, and support its status as a valid species within the Cercopithecus cephus group. The species is still widespread in the lowland forest zone of southwest Nigeria, where it is most typically seen in dense, tangled growth below 15 m. Throughout the range of C erythrogaster , forests are being destroyed at a rapid rate and hunting for meat is intense, threatening the survival of the species. Alternative hypotheses for the existence of an endemic guenon in southwest Nigeria are discussed, and it is concluded that at present there is insufficient evidence to chose between them. ‘ Cercopithecus signatus ’ is shown not to be synonymous with C. erythrogaster ; the signatus specimens may be hybrids.