Prismatic Primates

You've already seen the monkey with the orange and blue face - the golden snub-nosed monkey - but here are a few more colorful primate species.

Did you know that 'douc' is the word for monkey in Vietnamese?  The monkey known as the costumed ape is the red-shanked douc.  Here's why.

Source:  Wikipedia

It could very easily also be known as the monkey with the red stockings.  You might not be able to tell from this particular photo, but I will recap with a description of its gray body, white forearms, gray upper arms, and black hands and feet. Above the red stockings are black 'pants', white face ruff, and powder blue eyelids!  As you can also see its tail is about as long as its body.  These doucs, also known as the red-shanked douc langur, are found as you might suspect, in the forests of Vietnam and also in parts of Laos.  They spend the majority of their time in the mid to upper levels of the canopy as they get all the moisture they need from the leaves and other food they eat and don't need to come down to drink.  Their diet consists of about 80% leaves, the balance being fruit, seeds and flowers.  Despite his colorful appearance it has a very sweet face.  For a short video, click here.

Endemic to Brazil, the monkey with the orange 'beard and sideburns', is the Prince Bernhard's titi.

Source:  Wikipedia

This little guy was just discovered in 2002 in the Amazon rain forest so not much is known about it yet.

Another monkey with 'stockings' is the Wolf's Mona monkey from Central Africa.

Source:  Wikipedia

A bit better color coordinated and subtler than the Red-shanked Douc, the Wolf's Mona monkey sports the same color as its stockings on its ears  and slightly lighter underside and cheek whiskers.  And, unlike the douc, this monkey's main diet is fruit, seeds and insects eating only young, easily digestible leaves occasionally.

Known for its long luxurious beard, the Roloway monkey also has an orange stripe on its back and striking white eyebrows.

Source: Wikipedia

Found only in the Ivory Coast and Ghana, this is one of the world's 25 most endangered species.  Another monkey that is not a leaf eater, fruit, flowers, seeds and insects are its main diet.

Another monkey with definite style is the De Brazza's monkey, who also sports a white beard, but not quite as elaborate as the Roloway's, but look at the rest of his 'do'!

Source:  Wikipedia

Also known as the swamp monkey, this species can also be found in bamboo and dry mountain forests throughout central Africa.

Another monkey with a striking face and spiky 'do' is the Gee's golden langur.

Source:  Wikipedia

Also an endangered species, this monkey lives in a very small area in India and Bhutan.

All the aforementioned primates are great contenders, but the award for the most colorful primate goes to the mandrill - being colorful at BOTH ends!

Source:  Wikipedia

Their range is through central western Africa living in groups called hordes.  The male is the colorful one and the brightness of their color depends on their dominance.  The more dominant a male, the more colorful he is.  The males live solitary lifestyles while the 'hordes' are made up mainly of females and their offspring.  The largest horde ever recorded was about 1300 individuals.  A few hundred individuals in a horde is more normal.  Males average around 70 pounds while females average around 25 pounds making mandrills showing the most sexually dimorphism in primates.  The mandrill eats over 100 species of plants, including mushrooms, but also adds some surprising things to its diet including snails, eggs, birds, frogs and rats.  Click here for a video.

Hope you enjoyed your tour of colorful primates!