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24 November 2009
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Diana monkey in a tree

Close up of diana monkey

Diana monkey
Cercopithecus diana

These monkeys are named after the goddess Diana because the white stripe across their forehead was thought to be the same shape as her bow.

Subspecies
Two. C.d.diana (redder Western race), C.d.roloway (lighter, Eastern race).

Life span
34 years.

Statistics
Head and body length: Female: 44-45cm, Male: 52-61cm. Tail length: Female: 70-72cm, Male: 80-91cm. Weight: Female: 5.4 kg, Male: 5kg.

Physical description
Diana monkeys have grey agouti fur, with a brown/red back, white under-parts and a black tail. The rump is red or cream-coloured and they have a distinctive white stripe on the thigh and across the forehead. They have a black face and a red beard. They have cheek pouches in which to carry food while they forage.

Distribution
Diana monkeys range from Sierra Leone to Ghana.

Habitat
They typically inhabit primary gallery and semi-deciduous mature forest.

Diet
They feed on fruit, leaves, shoots and flowers.

Behaviour
Diana monkeys live in groups of 5-50 individuals, typically one male and numerous females. There are close bonds between the females but the males tend to be transitional, and there is a hierarchical structure to the group. They are diurnal and arboreal and move quadrupedally through the forest.

Reproduction
Little is known about the Diana monkey's reproductive biology, but they have one young.

Conservation status
Diana monkeys are listed by the IUCN as Endangered.




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