Golden-backed uakari

The black face - Uakari or Black Uakari ( Cacajao melanocephalus ) is a primate of the genus uakaris within the New World monkeys ( Platyrrhini ). He lives in the north-western South America, he has lived in larger groups and eats mainly hard-shelled fruits and seeds. In 2008, the Aracá - Uakari and the Neblina Uakari as independent, have been described from the black face - Uakari separate species.

Features

The face is, as is typical for the uakaris, naked. It is black in color, just like the hairless palms and soles. Black is also the fur on the head, the arms and on the back legs. The flanks, thighs and tail are cinnamon red contrast. The abdomen is almost hairless, but is covered by the long cross hairs. The back coat color is golden yellow.

Males are larger than females. Your head-body length is 44 to 49 inches, females 37 to 45 centimeters. The tail is shortened, as in all uakaris and not suitable for gripping, it measures 15 to 19 centimeters. The weight of this type is 2.5 to 3.7 kg, with only males are heavier than 3 kg.

Distribution and habitat

Black face - uakaris live in northwestern South America in the Amazon Basin. Its distribution area covers southeastern Colombia, the extreme south-west of Venezuela and northwestern Brazil. Here the Rio Negro forms the northeastern limit of distribution, northeast of whom live the two types described in 2008. Their habitat is the tropical rainforest where they live along the banks of blackwater rivers, and there preferably in Igapó, a forest type, which is characterized by seasonal flooding.

Black uakaris have rarely gone on all fours. You can perform up to ten foot jumps.

Way of life

Black face - uakaris are diurnal and arboreal. In branches they move mostly on all fours, they can perform up to 10 foot jumps. In the dry season they occasionally come to the ground. These primates live in groups with several males and females, which consist of 20 to 30 animals. There are also reports of small, 3 to 10 animals comprising associations. There may be a fission -fusion- front organization ( temporary merger and self- re - separating ) in the split, larger organizations in search of food into smaller subgroups. By constantly calls the animals stay in touch. Aggressive behavior between group members was not observed.

Little is known about reproduction. It is generally brought a single baby to the world. The birth takes place from February to April, when the rainy season begins.

Food

The diet consists mainly of immature, hard-shelled fruit tree. Overall, the fruits were identified from 120 different plant species as part of the diet of the Black uakaris. Are most in demand Rubber Tree, Micrandra, Eperua and Eschweilera. In addition to fruits and leaves, flowers and insects are eaten, but only at times when there are shortages of fruits. Since the black face - Uakari specializes in very hard fruits, there are among the other primates of its range no food competitors.

Endangering

Some Indian tribes hunt black face - uakaris. Especially from a canoe they are easy to hunt because they always live on riverbanks. For the tribes of the Yanomami and Tucano, however, the hunt for Black uakaris does not matter.

The IUCN classified the way to 1994 as " critically endangered ", then it was because of new evidence about their frequency to "not at risk " downgraded. The progressive destruction of the rain forests could change again but this status soon.

System

The systematics within the uakaris is controversial. Until recently two species were distinguished, the Red and the Black. Within the Black Uakari two subspecies were distinguished Frequently, the nominate race described by Alexander von Humboldt Cacajao melanocephalus melanocephalus with black coat on his back and Cacajao melanocephalus ouakary with golden yellow coat on his back. Boubli et al (2008) maintain that allocation unjustified. They argue that Humboldt its type specimen (which is lost later) clearly described with a golden yellow coat on his back and that the reference was not known as Humboldt acquired the animal as a pet. Grasp why together the two subspecies and describe all the animals of this species than with a golden yellow coat on his back. However, they separate the two north-east of the Rio Negro living types: the Neblina Uakari ( Cacajao Hosomi ), which is slightly larger and a longer, denser fur hat, in which the back is reddish brown, and the Aracá - Uakari ( Cacajao ayresi ), which is slightly smaller and a much darker coat has.