Trachypithecus

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Genus of Old World monkeys

title: "Trachypithecus" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["trachypithecus", "primates-of-asia", "primate-genera", "taxa-named-by-ludwig-reichenbach", "taxa-described-in-1862"] description: "Genus of Old World monkeys" topic_path: "general/trachypithecus" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trachypithecus" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Genus of Old World monkeys ::

| image = Dusky Langurs at Penang National Park.jpg | image_caption = Dusky leaf monkey (Trachypithecus obscurus) | taxon = Trachypithecus | authority = Reichenbach, 1862 | display_parents = 2 | type_species = Semnopithecus pyrrhus | type_species_authority = Horsfield, 1823 (= Cercopithecus auratus É. Geoffroy, 1812) | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = 16, see text

Trachypithecus is a genus of Old World monkeys containing species known as lutungs, langurs, or leaf monkeys. Their range is much of Southeast Asia (northeast India, Vietnam, southern China, Borneo, Thailand, Java, and Bali).

The name "lutung" comes from the Sundanese language meaning "blackness", ultimately from Proto-Austronesian *luCuŋ (which originally referred to the Formosan rock macaque); it is preferred in one paper because the authors wanted the name langurs to only refer to monkeys in the genus Semnopithecus, The scientific name of the genus comes from the Ancient Greek τραχύς (trakhús), meaning "rough", and πίθηκος (píthēkos), meaning "monkey".

Evolution

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/Trachypithecus_cristatus_robustus.jpg" caption="''Trachypithecus cristatus robustus'' skull"] ::

Genetic analysis indicates that the ancestors of the modern species of lutung first differentiated from one another a little over 3 million years ago, during the late Pliocene. The various species alive today then diverged during the Pleistocene, presumably driven by habitat changes during the Ice Ages. The oldest fossils clearly identified as belonging to the genus date from the middle Pleistocene of Vietnam and Laos; later fossils are also known from Thailand, Java, and Sumatra. The closest living relatives of the lutungs are probably either the gray langurs or the surilis, although the exact relationships remain unclear, possibly due to hybridisation between these genera during the course of their recent evolutionary history.

Taxonomy

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/NILGIRI_LANGUR_(Trachypithecus_johnii).jpg" caption="[[Nilgiri langur]], formerly classified within the genus ''Trachypithecus'' but since moved to the genus ''[[Semnopithecus]]''"] ::

As of 2005, the authors of Mammal Species of the World recognize the following Trachypithecus species:

Since then, the T. vetulus group (the purple-faced langur and the Nilgiri langur) have been moved the genus Semnopithecus based on DNA and other evidence.

In 2008, Roos et al. described the Malay Peninsula form of the silvery lutung as a separate subspecies and subsequently it has been elevated to a separate species within the T. cristatus group as the Selangor silvered langur, T. selangorensis. Roos et al. also elevated the West Javan Langur, Trachypithecus mauritius, and Annamese Langur, Trachypithecus margarita, to species status (formerly subspecies of T. auratus and T. germaini, respectively). Lastly, the White-headed langur (T. leucocephalus), previously thought to be a subspecies of the Francois langur (T. Francois) or Cat Ba langur (T. poliocephalus), is currently recognized as a distinct species by IUCN Red List assessors and the American Society of Mammalogists, based on a 2007 paper by Groves.

This leaves the current understanding of the genus Trachypithecus to be: |name=Annamese langur |binomial=T. margarita |image=File:SAIGON ZOO VIETNAM JAN 2012 (7009538995).jpg |image-alt=Gray monkey |authority-name=Elliot |authority-year=1909 |authority-not-original=yes |range=Southeastern Asia |range-image=File:Range Trachypithecus margarita.png |range-image-size=180px |size=40 – long, plus 57 – tail |habitat=Forest |hunting=Leaves, flowers, and fruit |iucn-status=EN |population=Unknown |direction= |name=Capped langur |binomial=T. pileatus |image=File:%27tenebricus%27_Capped_Langur_from_Manas.jpg |image-alt=Gray monkey |authority-name=Blyth |authority-year=1843 |authority-not-original=yes |subspecies={{Collapsible list |expand=yes |title=Three subspecies |bullets=on | T. p. brahma | T. p. pileatus | T. p. tenebricus |range=Southern Asia |range-image=File:Capped_Langur_area.png |range-image-size=161px |size=40 – long, plus 57 – tail |habitat=Forest |hunting=Leaves, seeds, and fruit, as well as flowers, buds, bark, and caterpillars |iucn-status=VU |population=Unknown |direction= |name=Cat Ba langur |binomial=T. poliocephalus |image=File:Cat_Ba_Langur_9.jpg |image-alt=Gray monkey |authority-name=Pousargues |authority-year=1898 |authority-not-original=yes |range=Cát Bà Island, Vietnam (in purple) |range-image=File:Distribution francoisi-Group with highlighting.jpg |range-image-size=92px |size=40 – long, plus 57 – tail |habitat=Forests and caves |hunting=Leaves, flowers, and fruit |iucn-status=CR |population=30–35 |direction= |name=Delacour's langur |binomial=T. delacouri |image=File:Langur_de_Delacour.jpg |image-alt=Gray monkey |authority-name=Osgood |authority-year=1911 |authority-not-original=yes |range=Northern Vietnam |range-image=File:Delacour%27s_Langur_area.png |range-image-size=180px |size=40 – long, plus 57 – tail |habitat=Forest, rocky areas, and caves |hunting=Leaves, flowers, and fruit |iucn-status=CR |population=240–250 |direction= |name=Dusky leaf monkey |binomial=T. obscurus |image=File:Dusky_leaf_monkey_(8050982300).jpg |image-alt=Brown monkey |authority-name=Reid |authority-year=1837 |authority-not-original=yes |subspecies={{Collapsible list |expand= |title=Seven subspecies |bullets=on | T. o. carbo | T. o. flavicauda | T. o. halonifer | T. o. obscurus | T. o. sanctorum | T. o. seimundi | T. o. styx |range=Southeastern Asia |range-image=File:Dusky_Leaf_Monkey_area.png |range-image-size=180px |size=42 – long, plus 50 – tail |habitat=Forest |hunting=Leaves, shoots, fruit, and seedlings |iucn-status=EN |population=Unknown |direction= |name=East Javan langur |binomial=T. auratus |image=File:Ebony_Langur_Javan_Lutung_Trachypithecus_auratus_at_Bronx_Zoo_3.jpg |image-alt=Brown monkeys |authority-name=É. Geoffroy |authority-not-original=yes|authority-year=1812 |range=Java and nearby islands in Indonesia |range-image=File:Javan_Lutung_area.png |range-image-size=180px |size=44 – long, plus 61 – tail |habitat=Forest |hunting=Leaves and flowers, as well as fruit and insect larvae |iucn-status=VU |population=Unknown |direction= |name=François' langur |binomial=T. francoisi |image=File:FrancoisLangur2_CincinnatiZoo.jpg |image-alt=Gray monkeys |authority-name=Pousargues |authority-year=1898 |authority-not-original=yes |range=Southern Asia |range-image=File:Trachypithecus_francoisi_distribution.svg |range-image-size=180px |size=40 – long, plus 57 – tail |habitat=Forest, rocky areas, and caves |hunting=Leaves, fruit, and seeds, as well as insects |iucn-status=EN |population=2,000–2,100 |direction= |name=Gee's golden langur |binomial=T. geei |image=File:Golden_langur.jpg |image-alt=Brown monkey |authority-name=Khajuria |authority-year=1956 |authority-not-original=yes |range=Southern Asia |range-image=File:Trachypithecus_geei_distribution.svg |range-image-size=180px |size=50 – long, plus 70 – tail |habitat=Forest |hunting=Fruit, leaves, flowers, seeds, and twigs |iucn-status=EN |population=6,000–6,500 |direction= |name=Germain's langur |binomial=T. germaini |image=File:Trachypithecus_germaini_99590349.jpg |image-alt=Gray monkey |authority-name=A. Milne-Edwards |authority-year=1876 |authority-not-original=yes |range=Southeastern Asia |range-image=File:Indochinese_Lutung_area.png |range-image-size=180px |size=40 – long, plus 57 – tail |habitat=Forest and rocky areas |hunting=Leaves, fruit, and flowers |iucn-status=EN |population=Unknown |direction= |name=Hatinh langur |binomial=T. hatinhensis |image=File:Trachypithecus hatinhensis 64485672.jpg |image-alt=Black monkey |authority-name=Dao |authority-year=1970 |authority-not-original=yes |range=Vietnam |range-image=File:Hatinh_Langur_area.png |range-image-size=180px |size=40 – long, plus 57 – tail |habitat=Forest, rocky areas, and caves |hunting=Leaves, as well as fruit, vines, and flowers |iucn-status=EN |population=Unknown |direction= |name=Indochinese black langur |binomial=T. ebenus |image= |image-alt= |authority-name=Brandon-Jones|authority-not-original=yes |authority-year=1995 |range=Southeastern Asia |range-image= |range-image-size=180px |size=40 – long, plus 57 – tail |habitat=Forest, rocky areas, and caves |hunting=Leaves, as well as fruit, vines, and flowers |iucn-status=EN |population=Unknown |direction= |name=Indochinese grey langur |binomial=T. crepuscula |image=File:Trachypithecus crepusculus, Indochinese grey langur - Loei Province (31109170388).jpg |image-alt=Gray monkey |authority-name=Elliot |authority-year=1909 |authority-not-original=yes |range=Southeast Asia (in red) |range-image=File:Trachypithecus crepusculus T phayrei area.png |range-image-size=180px |size=40 – long, plus 57 – tail |habitat=Forest, inland wetlands, and rocky areas |hunting=Leaves, flowers, and fruit |iucn-status=EN |population=2,400–2,500 |direction= |name=Laotian langur |binomial=T. laotum |image=File:Trachypithecus laotum.jpg |image-alt=Black and yellow monkey |authority-name=Thomas |authority-year=1911 |authority-not-original=yes |range=Laos |range-image=File:Laotian_Langur_area.png |range-image-size=180px |size=40 – long, plus 57 – tail |habitat=Forest and rocky areas |hunting=Leaves, flowers, and fruit |iucn-status=EN |population=Unknown |direction= |name=Phayre's leaf monkey |binomial=T. phayrei |image=File:%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%89%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%9B%E0%A6%A1%E0%A6%BC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0_%E0%A6%9C%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%A8_%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0_-%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%B6%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8_02.jpg |image-alt=Gray monkey |authority-name=Blyth |authority-year=1847 |authority-not-original=yes |subspecies={{Collapsible list |expand=yes |title=Two subspecies |bullets=on | T. p. phayrei | T. p. shanicus |range=Southeast Asia (in green) |range-image=File:Trachypithecus_crepusculus_T_phayrei_area.png |range-image-size=172px |size=40 – long, plus 57 – tail |habitat=Forest |hunting=Leaves, as well as bamboo shoots |iucn-status=EN |population=Unknown |direction= |name=Popa langur |binomial=T. popa |image= |image-alt= |authority-name=Roos et al. |authority-year=2020 |authority-not-original= |range=Myanmar |range-image=File:Range Trachypithecus popa.png |range-image-size=180px |size=40 – long, plus 57 – tail |habitat=Forest |hunting=Leaves, flowers, and fruit |iucn-status=CR |population=130–180 |direction= |name=Shortridge's langur |binomial=T. shortridgei |image=File:Trachypithecus_shortridgei_-Kunming_Natural_History_Museum_of_Zoology-DSC02508.JPG |image-alt=Gray monkey |authority-name=Wroughton |authority-year=1915|authority-not-original=yes |range=Southern Asia |range-image=File:Shortridge%27s_Langur_area.png |range-image-size=161px |size=40 – long, plus 57 – tail |habitat=Forest |hunting=Leaves, flowers, and fruit |iucn-status=EN |population=Unknown |direction= |name=Selangor silvered langur |binomial=T. selangorensis |image=File:Silver langur with baby.jpg |image-alt=Gray monkey and baby |authority-name=Roos, Nadler, Walter |authority-year=2008 |range=Peninsular Malaysia |range-image= |range-image-size=180px |size=40 – long, plus 57 – tail |habitat=Forest |hunting=Leaves, flowers, and fruit |iucn-status=NT |population=Unknown |direction= |name=Silvery lutung |binomial=T. cristatus |image=File:Silvered_Leaf_Monkey(Trachypithecus_cristatus)_(8125672881).jpg |image-alt=Gray monkey |authority-name=Raffles|authority-not-original=yes |authority-year=1821 |subspecies={{Collapsible list |expand=yes |title=Two subspecies |bullets=on | T. c. cristatus | T. c. vigilans |range=Southeastern Asia |range-image=File:Silvery_Lutung_area.png |range-image-size=180px |size=46 – long, plus 63 – tail |habitat=Forest |hunting=Leaves, as well as fruit, seeds, shoots, flowers, and buds |iucn-status=VU |population=Unknown |direction= |name=Tenasserim lutung |binomial=T. barbei |image= |image-alt= |authority-name=Blyth |authority-year=1847 |authority-not-original=yes |range=Southeastern Asia |range-image=File:Tenasserim_Lutung_area.png |range-image-size=161px |size=40 – long, plus 57 – tail |habitat=Forest |hunting=Leaves, flowers, and fruit |iucn-status=VU |population=Unknown |direction= |name=West Javan langur |binomial=T. mauritius |image=File:Trachypithecus mauritius 101639 (cropped).jpg |image-alt=Gray monkeys |authority-name=Griffith |authority-year=1821 |authority-not-original=yes |range=Island of Java |range-image= |range-image-size=180px |size=40 – long, plus 57 – tail |habitat=Forest |hunting=Leaves, flowers, and fruit |iucn-status=VU |population=Unknown |direction= |name=White-headed langur |binomial=T. leucocephalus |image=File:Trachypithecus francoisi leucocephalus - Kunming Natural History Museum of Zoology - DSC02504.JPG |image-alt=Gray monkey |authority-name=Tan |authority-year=1957 |authority-not-original= |range=Southern China |range-image= |range-image-size=180px |size=40 – long, plus 57 – tail |habitat=Rocky areas |hunting=Leaves, flowers, and fruit |iucn-status=CR |population=230–250 |direction=

Physical description

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a4/Trachypithecus_francoisi_3398.jpg" caption="[[Francois' langur]] (''Trachypithecus francoisi'')"] ::

Lutungs have a rather slim build with a long tail. The fur color varies, depending on the species, from black and grey to orange yellow. Many species have skin designs and a brighter lower surface, the hair on the head is often compared to a hood. Their arms are very short in comparison to their hind legs, and their thumbs are also somewhat shorter than in other primates. The inner surfaces of the hands and feet are hairless so that their fur does not get caught when reaching into branches. These animals reach a length of 40 to 80 cm and a weight of 5 to 15 kg, with males being generally larger than females. A ridge over the eyes and other details, primarily related to the head, differentiate the lutungs from the surilis.

Habitat and distribution

Lutungs live in forests. They often prefer rainforests, although they are occasionally also found in secluded mountain forests and limestone karst forests. Lutungs are found in South-east Asia and parts of South Asia, from India in the west to China in the east.

Behaviour

Lutungs spend the largest part of the day in the trees, where they walk along the branches on all fours.They also jump from tree to tree, often covering long distances between trees; those long jumps are referred to as leaping. Lutungs are diurnal, although more active in the early mornings and the afternoon.

They live in groups of five to 20 animals, mostly in harems, i.e. a single male with several females. Young males must leave their birth group when fully mature, often forming bachelor groups. If a new male takes over a harem, defeating or scaring off the former harem leader, he often kills the infants in the group. This behavior is also known as infanticide. Lutungs are territorial, and emit loud calls to defend their territories from rival males, resorting to force if the outsiders are not scared off. They have a common repertoire of sounds with which they warn group members. Mutual grooming also plays an important role in maintaining the bonds between individuals.

Lutungs are herbivores, primarily eating leaves, fruits, and buds. To digest the tough leaves, they developed a multichambered stomach.

Reproduction

Lutungs typically give birth to a single young, after a seven-month gestation period. Twins occur, but are rare. Newborns usually have golden-yellow or orange fur. The mother shares responsibilities of rearing the young with the other females ("aunties") of the harem. Females within a group hand the young around, play with them, carry them, and cuddle them, allowing the mother to forage or spend time alone. If the mother dies, another female adopts the young animal. Lutungs are weaned in the latter half of their first year, and reach full maturity at 4 to 5 years. The life expectancy is estimated at 20 years.

References

References

  1. {{MSW3
  2. (2010). "*luCuŋ: the Formosan rock monkey; Macaca cyclopis". Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology.
  3. Wilson, Don E.. (2012). "Handbook of the Mammals of the World, Volume 3: Primates". Lynx Edicions.
  4. Roos, C.. (2014). "An updated taxonomy and conservation status review of Asian primates". Asian Primates Journal.
  5. Karanth, K. Praveen. (2008). "Molecular phylogeny and biogeography of langurs and leaf monkeys of South Asia (Primates: Colobinae)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution.
  6. Roos, C.. (March 2019). "Mitochondrial phylogeny, taxonomy and biogeography of the silvered langur species group (''Trachypithecus cristatus'')". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution.
  7. Harding, L.E.. (2010). "''Trachypithecus cristatus'' (Primates: Cercopithecidae)". Mammalian Species.
  8. {{MSW3 Groves
  9. (2008). "Phylogenetic position of the langur genera Semnopithecus and Trachypithecus among Asian colobines, and genus affiliations of their species groups". BMC Evolutionary Biology.
  10. Roos, C.. (2014). "An updated taxonomy and conservation status review of Asian primates". Asian Primates Journal.
  11. (2008). "Phylogenetic position of the langur genera Semnopithecus and Trachypithecus among Asian colobines, and genus affiliations of their species groups". BMC Evolutionary Biology.
  12. Brandon–Jones, D.. (2004). "Asian Primate Classification". International Journal of Primatology.
  13. Xiao Ping Wang. (April 27, 2012). "Phylogenetic Relationships among the Colobine Monkeys Revisited: New Insights from Analyses of Complete mt Genomes and 44 Nuclear Non-Coding Markers". plos.org.
  14. Karanth, K. Praveen. (2008). "Molecular phylogeny and biogeography of langurs and leaf monkeys of South Asia (Primates: Colobinae)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution.
  15. Roos, C.. (2008). "Mitochondrial phylogeny, taxonomy and biogeography of the silvered langur species group (''Trachypithecus cristatus'')". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution.
  16. Groves, C.. (2007). "Speciation and biogeography of Vietnam's primates". Vietnamese Journal of Primatology.
  17. {{BioRef. asm
  18. Fleagle, John G.. (2013). "Primate adaptation and evolution". Elsevier/Academic Press.
  19. Nowak, Ronald M.. (1999). "Walker's Mammals of the World". [[Johns Hopkins University Press]].
  20. (2021). "''Trachypithecus auratus''".
  21. (2009). "''Trachypithecus auratus''". [[University of Michigan]].
  22. (2021). "''Trachypithecus barbei''".
  23. (2021). "''Trachypithecus mauritius''".
  24. (2021). "''Trachypithecus selangorensis''".
  25. (2020). "''Trachypithecus cristatus''".
  26. (2005). "''Trachypithecus cristatus''". [[University of Michigan]].
  27. (2020). "''Trachypithecus delacouri''".
  28. (2021). "''Trachypithecus hatinhensis''".
  29. (2021). "''Trachypithecus crepusculus''".
  30. (2020). "''Trachypithecus francoisi''".
  31. (2004). "''Trachypithecus francoisi''". [[University of Michigan]].
  32. (2020). "''Trachypithecus geei''".
  33. (2004). "''Trachypithecus geei''". [[University of Michigan]].
  34. (2022). "''Trachypithecus germaini''".
  35. (2020). "''Trachypithecus laotum''".
  36. (2020). "''Trachypithecus obscurus''".
  37. (2002). "''Trachypithecus obscurus''". [[University of Michigan]].
  38. (2021). "''Trachypithecus phayrei''".
  39. (2011). "''Trachypithecus phayrei''". [[University of Michigan]].
  40. (2022). "''Trachypithecus margarita''".
  41. (2020). "''Trachypithecus pileatus''".
  42. (2020). "''Trachypithecus poliocephalus''".
  43. (2020). "''Trachypithecus shortridgei''".
  44. (2022). "''Trachypithecus popa''".
  45. (2020). "''Trachypithecus leucocephalus''".

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trachypithecusprimates-of-asiaprimate-generataxa-named-by-ludwig-reichenbachtaxa-described-in-1862