Golden Snub-Nosed Monkey

The extant primate species I decided to research is the Golden Snub-Nosed Monkey, scientifically known as Rhinopithecus roxellana. Part of the reason I chose this species was how odd it looks next to other primate species; it has a flat blue face, big lips, and bright orange color. The other reason I chose the species was because I read that it is now an endangered species and was curious about why it has become endangered and how people are trying to change that. I believe it is important to study the golden snub-nosed monkey because looking at how they interact with their environment and with each other may give us a look into how early human ancestors may have acted under similar conditions. Before I get too far into the specifics of my primate I should discuss how it is different from modern humans. A couple of ways that the two species differ are in appearance and dentition. Appearance is probably the biggest way we differ from the golden

The golden snub-nosed monkey will vary in appearance depending on the sex of the monkey you are referring to. Like in some species of birds or other primates the females are less extravagant looking and this is also true in the case of the golden snub-nosed monkeys; the females have silvery backs and brownish-black head and upper extremities. However, the males have the bright orangey gold color, that gives this species its name, on their head, forehead, neck, and upper parts. (Richardson, 2005) Another characteristic of the species is its smushed in forward facing nostrils. Along with having the smushed nose this species has a light blue face and the adult males develop wart-like growths in the corners of their mouths. Not only do the males and females differ in looks, they also differ in size due to sexual dimorphism; the males on average are around 6 inches longer and 14 lbs heavier. (Gron,