Miopithecus ogouensis

The Gabonese pygmy monkey is the smallest monkey in the Old World monkey family. It was originally a subspecies of the pygmy monkey and became an independent species in 1997. It is sexually dimorphic. The average head and body length is 40 cm, the average tail length is 52.5 cm, the male weighs 1380 grams, and the female weighs 1120 grams. It has a long tail and the main body is yellow-green, but the fur color is different from the color of several other parts of the body, and there are various differences between individuals. The fur on their backs is yellow and black, and there are thick white or grayish-white bands on the ventral side. The head and eyes are large, the snout is short, and the cheeks are hairless. The nose is black, and the skin on the face is also black. There are yellow hair beards around the naked black cheeks. The outside of the limbs is pale or chrome yellow, sometimes reddish. The hands and feet are chrome yellow, with brown or reddish-yellow tones. The color of

The Gabonese pygmy monkey is found in Angola (Cabinda), Cameroon, Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. It is a strictly riverine species, confined to dense evergreen forests and vegetation on both sides of rivers, and its range is likely to be greater in areas with more woodland, because the forest belt is narrow and resources are scarce, and the density is low in areas with large cultivated areas.

Gabonese pygmy monkey (scientific name: Miopithecus ogouensis), also known as Northern Talapoin Monkey, was once a subspecies of pygmy monkey and was designated as an independent species in 1997.

Gabonese pygmy monkeys live in large groups, usually 60-100, but often gather in groups of more than 100 near villages to steal root crops, especially cassava roots. Cassava roots contain high concentrations of toxic hydrogen cyanide, and farmers leave them in the fields to allow the daytime rain to leach the poison before use. At this point, the Gabonese pygmy monkeys will examine the filtered roots and eat the parts they think are safe.

The Gabonese pygmy monkey is a diurnal animal, mainly arboreal, and occasionally descends to the ground to forage. Groups of Gabonese pygmy monkeys sleep in trees near the river. When disturbed, they will jump into the river and swim away. Within the group, various social behaviors such as aggression, play and grooming can be seen in groups or between individuals. During the day, they will go out to find food in small groups. The group consists of several fully grown males, many females and their offspring. There are different close relationships in the group, and there is no territorial awareness and behavior. They like to play, which mostly occurs between Asian and African adults, and sometimes adults also participate. There are two types of games: wrestling, which involves grabbing and grappling, and the other is a fast chase between each other. Males tend to play more actively in the social nature of the group than females.

Because the Gabonese pygmy monkey is quite small, when it encounters an attack, it will stare at the opponent and warn the opponent with calls and rapid panting. Generally, it will not take extreme attack methods, and usually respond to attacks by group unity. Among all primates, this species may have the most complex way of communication. They use both vocalization and visual signals (such as body posture and expression). In addition, tactile communication can play an important role in maintaining family affection, such as grooming or touching each other. Some primates use chemical communication, especially in reproductive environments.

Like other primates, the Gabonese pygmy monkey has cheek pouches, which are located on both sides of the mouth. It is a special sac-like structure that has the function of temporarily storing food. There are two advantages: in places where competition for fruits is fierce, monkeys can grab as much food as possible without being taken away by other hungry monkeys, and at the same time, enzymes in saliva help break down toxic compounds in unripe fruits and seeds stored in cheek pouches. It is an omnivore, and its diet is mainly fruit (about 80%). Favored varieties include plum fruits, figs, coconuts and oil nan, as well as the pulp of oil palm fruits and African ginger fruits, seeds and aquatic plants. Sometimes it enters riverside gardens in human living areas, eats bananas, melon seeds, corn and gourds, and also eats insects, shellfish, bird eggs and small vertebrates.

Females have genitals that swell during estrus, and breeding expectations are usually from November to March of the following year. The gestation period is 160 days, and one cub is born per litter. The offspring are quite large, and the weight of newborns exceeds 200 grams, which is about a quarter of the mother's weight. The cubs grow rapidly, can eat solid food within 6 weeks, and can live independently at the age of 3 months. The maximum lifespan of Gabonese pygmy monkeys in captivity is 28 years, and the lifespan in the wild is unknown.

Gabonese pygmy monkeys were historically a common species in riverine and swamp forests, although hunting may have slightly reduced the size of their population today. Their troops are larger near villages because they are attracted to cassava and difficult to hunt because of the riverine and swampy habitats they inhabit. It lives in groups of 12-20 animals, which come together with other groups in specific nocturnal roosts (nested in dense vegetation near water). In total, up to 125 animals may gather. The range covers 100-500 hectares with a density of 40-90 animals per square kilometer.

Listed in the 2008 Red List of Endangered Species of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) ver 3.1 - Least Concern (LC).

Listed in Appendix II of the Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

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