Savannah monkey

A member of the Cercopithecidae family of the order Primates and Mammalia. It is found in a wide area south of the Sahara Desert in Africa. There are large regional differences, and some consider it to be classified into three species: the Grivet Monkey C. aethiops (central to eastern parts), the Vervet Monkey C. pygerythrus (southern parts), and the Green Monkey C. sabaeus (western parts). Its body hair is olive gray, its face is black, its anus is red, and the male's scrotum is blue. It is the only species of the Cercopithecidae that has expanded into the savannah, preferring riverside forests and spending a considerable amount of time on the ground. It feeds on fruits, grass seeds, leaves, insects, etc., and forms multi-male groups of 10 to 50 individuals. The dominant male shows dominance by raising his tail and displaying his red or blue perineum to subordinates.

[Kenji Kawanaka]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

哺乳(ほにゅう)綱霊長目オナガザル科の動物。アフリカのサハラ砂漠以南の広い地域に分布する。地方差が大きく、グリベットモンキーC. aethiops（中央部から東部）、ベルベットモンキーC. pygerythrus（南部）、ミドリザルC. sabaeus（西部）の3種に分類する考え方もある。体毛は灰色がかったオリーブ色で、顔は黒、肛門(こうもん)の周囲は赤く、雄の陰嚢(いんのう)は青い。オナガザル属のなかではサバンナ地帯に進出した唯一の種で、川辺の林を好み、かなりの時間を地上で過ごす。果実、草の実、木の葉、昆虫などを食べ、10～50頭の複雄群をつくる。優位な雄は、尾をあげ、赤や青で彩られた会陰(えいん)部を劣位者に誇示して優位性を示す。

［川中健二］

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