Pelage colour change in Hainan gibbon (Nomascus hainanus)

doi:10.16829/j.slxb.150809

Abstract

Abstract: All known species of the genus Nomascus have distinct sexual dichromatism in adulthood. The changes in their pelage colour are used as an important indicator of individuals’sexes, ages, and ontogenetic stages. This study is focused on Hainan gibbons (Nomascus hainanus), the rarest primate in the world, and combines the data of circa 2 years of continuous field observations and previously collected image data to describe the patterns of pelage colour changes over two crucial stages of their life history: natal coats to juvenile pelages and female fur colour changes during sexual maturity. The results show that monitoring and documenting the ‘crest’ traits, the overall fur colour, and the timing of colour change occurring at the different body parts could operatively assist in determining the age group of an individual, estimating the birth season of an infant, and identifying the fertile females in relatively complex environments, especially in dense rainforest. It was found that the development of the pelage colour change of N. hainanus in infancy was more similar to that of Cao Vit gibbon (Nomascus nasutus). This supports the latest and accepted phylogenetic position of Hainan gibbons. We also discussed the potential interpretations of the adaptation of their pelage colour change. We advocated that the practicable suggestions described in this study should be integrated with automated data collecting systems, which might help increase the efficiency and accuracy of the population monitoring and conservation of the endangered crested gibbons in the future.

Key words: Nomascus hainanus, Crested gibbons, Sexual dichromatism, Pelage colour change, Phylogeny

摘要： 冠长臂猿属(Nomascus)动物作为具有明显毛色性二型的濒危灵长类，其毛色变化是判断个体性别、年龄与发育状态的重要指标。本文针对海南长臂猿(N.hainanus)约2年的连续观察和既往可靠的影像资料，详细描述了该物种出生至周岁，雌性从亚成年至成年这两个毛色变化关键时期的外观特征和变色过程。本文发现通过对“冠”形、整体毛色、身体各部位变色顺序的观察，有助于在雨林环境中快速判断个体的大致年龄并反推其出生季节，识别可繁殖雌性个体。通过与近缘种进行对比，发现其婴猿毛色变化过程与东黑冠长臂猿(N.nasutus)更为相似，从宏观证据上支持了海南长臂猿目前被认可的系统发育地位，并讨论了其毛色变化模式对环境适应的可能解释。希望本文提出的操作性建议能够与自动化的数据收集方法相结合，提升濒危冠长臂猿物种野外监测的时效性和准确度。

关键词: 海南长臂猿, 冠长臂猿, 性二色, 毛色变化, 系统发育

CLC Number:

Q958.12

ZHU Changyue, ZHONG Xukai, WANG Yuxin, LI Wenyong, QI Xuming, FAN Pengfei. Pelage colour change in Hainan gibbon (Nomascus hainanus)[J]. ACTA THERIOLOGICA SINICA, 2024, 44(1): 1-13.

祝常悦, 钟旭凯, 王昱心, 李文永, 齐旭明, 范朋飞. 海南长臂猿的毛色变化[J]. 兽类学报, 2024, 44(1): 1-13.

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