Piliocolobus epieni (Grubb & Powell, 1999)

Russell A. Mittermeier, Anthony B. Rylands & Don E. Wilson, 2013, Cercopithecidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 3 Primates, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 550-755 : 708

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Niger Delta Red Colobus

Piliocolobus epieni

French: Colobe epieni / German: Nigerdelta-Stummelaffe / Spanish: Colobo rojo del Niger

Other common names: Delta Red Colobus

Taxonomy. Procolobus badius epieni Grubb & Powell, 1999 ,

Nigeria, Sampou-Apoi, 4° 55’ N, 6° 00" E, 12 km SW of the junction of Sagbama and Egbedi Creeks, Niger Delta, Southern jaw Local Government camp area, Bayelsa State.

Modern taxonomic arrangements of the colobus monkeys either divide the red colobus and the Olive Colobus into two genera, Piliocolobus and Procolobus , respectively, or consider them to belong to one genus, Procolobus , with two subgenera ( Procolobus for the Olive Colobus and Piliocolobus for the red colobus). We follow here C. P. Groves in his publications of 2001 and 2007 in using two genera. Monotypic.

Distribution. S Nigeria, apparently confined to the W part of the Niger Delta, between the Forcados-Nikrogha Creek and the Sagbama-Osiama-Agboi Creek (approximately the area S of 5° 09° N and W of 6° 07’ E); it may also occur sporadically farther E (almost to 7° E).

Descriptive notes. There are no measurements available. The Niger Delta Red Colobus is similar to Pennant’s Red Colobus (PF. pennantii ) in having a black crown and a banded, black, and orange mantle, but whitish tone on underparts extends onto outer sides of arms, restricting orange-brown to a narrow band on trailing edges of outer arms or even completely excluding these tones. Black of hands and feet does not extend up the limbs. Tail is dark red-brown above, with a median dark brown dorsal band, chestnut or maroon below, terminal one-third to two-thirds of the tail becoming black-brown. There are patches of white on shoulders and cheeks, and black hairs over ears form conspicuous whorls. In mtDNA, a specimen of the Niger Delta Red Colobus seems to belong with East and Central African species, rather than with other West African species; its vocalizations follow a similar pattern.

Habitat. Marsh forest.

Food and Feeding. Young leaves, leaf buds, and terminal parts of stems make up the majority of the diet of the Niger Delta Red Colobus . Other important food items include seeds, flowers and flower buds, and leaf petioles.

Breeding. Adult female Niger Delta Red Colobus develop swellings during the periovulatory period that are 12 cm long and 10 cm wide. Mating occurs throughout the year but most frequently during the rainy season in April-July. Small infants are seen most frequently during the dry season in December-March.

Activity patterns. Niger Delta Red Colobus are diurnal and arboreal. In a study byJ. L. R. Werre, they spent 36% of their time feeding, 33% resting, 25% traveling, and 6% engaging in social behavior.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Daily movements of the Niger Delta Red Colobus are 450-1900 m, and home range is 73 ha. Groups contain 15-80 individuals, with multiple adult males and females. Females groom most frequently, and male grooming is typically directed toward females with perineal swellings.

Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix II. Classified as Critically Endangered on The IUCN Red List (as Procolobus pennantii epieni ). The Niger Delta Red Colobusis listed as Class B in the African Convention on the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. It was only discovered in 1993 and was quite common within its limited distribution in the mid-1990s. More recent reports suggest rapid declines as a result of heavy hunting, compounded by habitat degradation. Artisanal-scale logging has seriously degraded the habitat, removing in the process many important food trees such as Hallea ledermannii (Rubiacae). The Niger Delta Red Colobus is not found in any protected areas, although it does occur in the proposed Apoi Creek Forest Reserve. Protection of its remaining habitat is an urgent priority, although civil conflict has been a hindrance to the implementation of effective conservation plans.

Bibliography. Groves (2001, 2007b), Grubb & Powell (1999), Grubb, Butynski et al. (2003), Grubb, Oates et al. (2000), Oates (1994b, 2011), Struhsaker (2010), Ting (2008), Werre (2000), Werre & Powell (1997).

Figures

Distribution. S Nigeria, apparently confined to the W part of the Niger Delta, between the Forcados-Nikrogha Creek and the Sagbama-Osiama-Agboi Creek (approximately the area S of 5° 09° N and W of 6° 07’ E); it may also occur sporadically farther E (almost to 7° E).