The black-footed gray langur (''Semnopithecus hypoleucos'') is an

Old World monkey Old World monkey is the common English name for a family of primates known taxonomically as the Cercopithecidae (). Twenty-four genera and 138 species are recognized, making it the largest primate family. Old World monkey genera include baboons ...

, one of the species of

langur The Colobinae or leaf-eating monkeys are a subfamily of the Old World monkey family that includes 61 species in 11 genera, including the black-and-white colobus, the large-nosed proboscis monkey, and the gray langurs. Some classifications sp ...

s. Found in southern India, this, like other

gray langur Gray langurs, also called Hanuman langurs and Hanuman monkeys, are Old World monkeys native to the Indian subcontinent constituting the genus ''Semnopithecus''. Traditionally only one species ''Semnopithecus entellus'' was recognized, but since a ...

s, is a

leaf-eating In zoology, a folivore is a herbivore that specializes in eating leaves. Mature leaves contain a high proportion of hard-to-digest cellulose, less energy than other types of foods, and often toxic compounds.Jones, S., Martin, R., & Pilbeam, D. (1 ...

monkey.

Taxonomy

The black-footed gray langur was previously considered to be a subspecies of ''

Semnopithecus entellus The northern plains gray langur (''Semnopithecus entellus''), also known as the sacred langur, Bengal sacred langur and Hanuman langur, is a species of primate in the family Cercopithecidae. Taxonomy The northern plains gray langur belongs to t ...

''. Research done in 2003 by Brandon-Jones may indicate that it is a subspecies of '' Semnopithecus dussumieri''. Some experts believe that the species may be a naturally occurring hybrid of ''

Semnopithecus johnii Gray langurs, also called Hanuman langurs and Hanuman monkeys, are Old World monkeys native to the Indian subcontinent constituting the genus ''Semnopithecus''. Traditionally only one species ''Semnopithecus entellus'' was recognized, but since a ...

'' and '' Semnopithecus dussumieri''. Currently ''S. dussumieri'' is considered a junior synonym of the black-footed gray langur.

Distribution

This black-footed gray langur is distributed throughout south-western India (

Goa Goa () is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is located between the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the ...

Karnataka Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...

and

Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...

), but is centred on the Western Ghats. Its total range is around 35,000 km2, with the species living inside and outside of protected areas.

References

black-footed gray langur The black-footed gray langur (''Semnopithecus hypoleucos'') is an Old World monkey, one of the species of langurs. Found in southern India, this, like other gray langurs, is a leaf-eating monkey. Taxonomy The black-footed gray langur was prev ...

Endemic fauna of India Mammals of India Monkeys in India

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