The Roloway monkey (Cercopithecus roloway) is an endangered species of Old World monkey endemic to tropical West Africa. It was previously considered a subspecies of the Diana monkey (C. diana). The species is classified as critically endangered due to habitat loss and their continued hunting because of the bushmeat trade. The Roloway monkey is mainly an arboreal species, for the most part inhabiting forests in Ghana and some reserves in south-eastern Côte-D'Ivoire. More specifically, C. roloway is primarily concentrated in the Tanoé Forest of the Côte-D'Ivoire because of their heavy threats to extinction and lack of habitat. Gathering data on wild subjects is still difficult, as they have low and vanishing populations in a vast forest, but they are a unique species.
Taxonomy Both C. diana and C. roloway were originally categorized under the well-known species group: diana, which meant that the two monkeys were related subspecies. This classification changed in 2005, when each monkey was considered its own species and treated as such. This is beneficial to each species in relation to conservation efforts and justifications for necessity of conservation. Finding funding for extreme conservation efforts can be challenging, and when C. diana and C. roloway were considered related subspecies, the urgency for conservation may not have been as great. Individuals can find themselves more willing to support conservation of a unique species rather than a subspecies.
Description
The Roloway monkey is a species of guenon monkeys, the largest of all of the 26 African Cercopithecus species. Of this genus, it is most similar to C. diana; they both have dark fur surrounding a majority of their bodies, with a dark brown-reddish patch on their lower back. The Roloway monkey has a prominent white beard under its black chin, and above its dark eyes is a horizontal white stripe of fur, directly on its brow bone. Its face is a dark black, accentuated by the bright white fur covering its shoulders and chest. This monkey has a relatively flat skull, and unlike many other primates, does not have an elongated chin cavity, also referred to as a rostrum. In addition, the nostrils of the monkey are closely set and they angle downwards. Its chest and throat are bright white, and the monkey has a white line of fur that runs along each outer thigh. On the inside of the thighs, the fur can range from white or yellowish to red or brown. It has an exceptionally long tail, longer than its entire body. Not many body measurements of adult Roloway monkeys are available, but through analysis, but compared to the Diana monkey, the Roloway monkey's body length ranges from 40 to 55 cm (16 to 22 in), and the tail ranges from 50 to 75 cm (20 to 30 in) long. Male monkeys weigh about5.0 kg (11.0 lb). The females weigh only about 2.5 kg (5.5 lb). The Roloway monkey has a distinct cheek pouch, which it shares with all Cercopithecus monkeys, that allows it to store food such as fruits, nuts, and seeds, which are the majority of its diet; they are omnivorous, though. The Cercopithecinae monkeys all have opposable thumbs, which are quite well-developed; the Roloway monkey also has fingernails on all of its fingers. Finally, the Roloway monkey has a lifespan similar to those of other primates, ranging from 20 to 30 years.
Distribution and habitat The species occurs in a small area of eastern Ivory Coast and the forests of Ghana, between the Sassandra and Pra Rivers and may occur in Burkina Faso and Togo. The Roloway monkey inhabits the canopy of secluded, old-growth forests, including gallery forests, in moist, low-lying regions, and avoids but can make use of forests that have been lightly logged. It cannot live in areas where humans have had a large impact. Primary forests have unique attributes that can allow populations of animals and plants to be more stable in the long term. They are very lush, containing thick vegetation that allows for easy hiding. The habitats of the Roloway are very complex and have many hiding places, making studying them or gathering any new information on the changes in their population size or behavior difficult.
Ecology
Diet The Roloway monkey is an omnivorous species, feeding on both plants and animals. These primates consume various fruits, flowers, leaves, and even insects. Because insects are included in its diet, the Roloway also can be described as insectivorous. It searches for large invertebrates, and consumes both larvae and eggs. It can feed on roughly 130 species of trees, climbers, and epiphytes. Like many omnivores, the Roloway monkey also consumes mature fruit pulp, arthropods, oil-rich seeds, and young leaves. The diet of the Roloway monkey has been observed for quite some time; presumably, the monkey varies its diet in accordance with the season. It consumes more fruit and pulp during the dry season of the year. During the wet season, when more insects are out and available for hunting, the Roloway consumes less fruit and seed and more insects. When hunting for food, the Roloway monkey looks for the most direct path and may not choose to swing, climb, or jump from branch to branch if it is not the most efficient means of food collection.
Predation
The Roloway monkey does not often employ its "fight" instinct, rather it chooses "flight". Typical predators of the Roloway monkey include the leopard, large predatory birds, chimpanzees, and other larger species. To survive against these predators, the Roloway monkey uses communication techniques such as warning sounds, or even signals, to tell the other members of its group that a threat is near, and they must flee to safety. Predators, though, are not the primary cause for the decline in overall population or the critically endangered assessment it has been given.
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