The Popa langur (''Trachypithecus popa'') is a species of
primate
Primates are a diverse order of mammals. They are divided into the strepsirrhines, which include the lemurs, galagos, and lorisids, and the haplorhines, which include the tarsiers and the simians (monkeys and apes, the latter including huma ...
in the family
Cercopithecidae
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 ...
. It occurs only in
Myanmar
Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John C. Wells, Joh ...
and was named after
Mount Popa
Mount Popa (, ) is a dormant volcano 1518 metres (4981 feet) above sea level, and located in central Myanmar in the region of Mandalay about southeast of Bagan (Pagan) in the Pegu Range. It can be seen from the Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy) River ...
, where a population of 100 of the monkeys live.
It is listed as
Critically Endangered on the
IUCN Red List
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data Book, founded in 1964, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biol ...
, as the wild population is thought to comprise 200 to 250 mature individuals.
[
]
Taxonomy
The Popa langur was discovered in 2020 in a lab setting instead of the field. A phylogenetic study was conducted with the effort of understanding the Popa langur's taxonomic relationships with other species of the genus. For this study, scientists used fecal samples from wild langurs and tissue samples from museum specimens.Natural History Museum, London
The Natural History Museum in London is a museum that exhibits a vast range of specimens from various segments of natural history. It is one of three major museums on Exhibition Road in South Kensington, the others being the Science Museum an ...
. The examination revealed small differences in their skins, skulls and coloration.
Characteristics
The Popa langur has a dark-brown or grey-brown back, a white belly, and black hands and feet. It has distinctive white rings around the eyes, as well as the muzzle. It weighs around .[
]
Distribution and habitat
The Popa langur occurs in central Myanmar, mainly around Mount Popa.
Conservation
The Popa langur is threatened by hunting, habitat destruction
Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby ...
and fragmentation.[
]
See also
* List of primates described in the 2020s
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q101475669
popa
Mammals of Myanmar
Primates of Southeast Asia
Endemic fauna of Myanmar
Mammals described in 2020