Zanzibar red colobus

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The Zanzibar red colobus is a species of red colobus monkey endemic to Unguja, the main island of the Zanzibar Archipelago, off the coast of Tanzania. It is also known as Kirk's red colobus after Sir John Kirk, the British Resident of Zanzibar who first brought it to the attention of zoological science.
The Zanzibar red colobus, Piliocolobus kirkii, population on Zanzibar, represents a population of red colobus that is believed to have been isolated on the island after sea levels rose toward the end of the Pleistocene epoch. Furthermore, it is suggested through mitochondrial analysis, that phylogenetic groups within the red colobus have been genetically isolated from another since the Pliocene.
This Old World monkey's coat ranges from dark red to black, accented with a black stripe along the shoulders and arms, and a pale underside. Its black face is crowned with long, white hair, and features a distinguishing pink mark on its lips and nose. Also, the Zanzibar red colobus has a long tail used only for balancing — it is not prehensile. Sexual dimorphism is generally decreased in the species, meaning the females have little difference in their body size and colours from their male counterparts. Females usually outnumber the males in their groups. The species has a notably small cranium and rotund body shape, with males potentially reaching over 12 kg and females, 10 kg. In adults, highly differentiated facial features help them to distinguish each other in a group.

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