Colobine Monkeys : Their Ecology, Behaviour and Evolution. This item is unavailable.Colobine Monkeys : Their Ecology, Behaviour and Evolution

Colobine monkeys have a unique digestive system that allows them to exploit foliage as a food source. This gives them a niche in Old World forests where they are often the only abundant medium-sized arboreal folivorous mammal. From a possible Miocene origin, colobine monkeys have radiated into a wide variety of forms inhabiting a range of tropical woodlands in Africa and Asia. The central theme of this work is adaptive radiation, showing how the special features of colobine anatomy interacted with a range of ecosystems to produce the distinctive species of today. Most of the extant species have been subject to long-term field studies, but until this book, no synthesis of work on this group has been available. The book discusses parallels with other mammalian groups.

The colobine monkeys of Africa and Asia have a digestive system unique among primates. This system analogous to that of ruminants, allows them to exploit foliage and seeds as food, and opens niches that are closed to other mammals. From a Miocene origin, the colobines have radiated to inhabit a wide range of forest and woodland habitats in the Old World tropics where they are often the most abundant arboreal mammal. Many long-term studies of colobine ecology and social behaviour have been undertaken, but until now no synthesis of this work has been available. This book provides this synthesis, setting it within the context of colobine evolutionary history, anatomy and physiology. It portrays the adaptive radiation that has resulted from the interaction between the special features of colobines and a set of forest ecosystems that vary in their flora, fauna, chemistry and seasonality. This book compares and contrasts the colobines with other mammalian groups, particularly ruminants and other primates. It will be of relevance to workers in evolutionary ecology, primatology, physical anthropology and tropical biology, and will remain a significant and useful reference for many years to come.