science

Southern plains gray langur

Southern plains gray langur is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Southern plains gray langur rather than just read about it. In short: Southern plains gray langur was the common name ascribed to Semnopithecus dussumieri by Mammal Species of the World (3rd edition) in 2005. Along with several other Semnopithecus, it had been previously considered a subspecies of the northern plains gray langur, Semnopithecus entellus, i.e., Semnopithecus entellus dussumieri.

Key takeaways

Southern plains gray langur belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Southern plains gray langur to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Southern plains gray langur from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Southern plains gray langur was the common name ascribed to Semnopithecus dussumieri by Mammal Species of the World (3rd edition) in 2005. Along with several other Semnopithecus, it had been previously considered a subspecies of the northern plains gray langur, Semnopithecus entellus, i.e., Semnopithecus entellus dussumieri. Subsequent genetic research has revealed that Semnopithecus dussumieri is an invalid taxon. These monkeys live in groups in forests and other rural habitats, with some groups being habituated to human contact and feeding. They are herbivorous, feeding by day mainly on foliage, fruits and flowers, and sleeping at night high in a tree.

Taxonomy The taxonomy of gray langurs has been in a state of flux. At first, all gray langurs were included in a single species, Semnopithecus entellus, with several subspecies, but more recently some authorities have elevated these to species status. The southern plains gray langur was the common name ascribed to Semnopithecus dussumieri by Mammal Species of the World (3rd edition) in 2005. Along with several other Semnopithecus, it had been previously considered a subspecies of the northern plains gray langur, Semnopithecus entellus, i.e., Semnopithecus entellus dussumieri. Subsequent genetic research has revealed that Semnopithecus dussumieri is an invalid taxon. As a result, most populations of gray langurs that had been considered to be southern plains gray langur are considered to be populations of northern plains gray langurs S. entellus.

Description The populations formerly regarded as southern plains gray langur are among the smaller gray langurs, with a height of about 62 cm (24 in), a tail longer than the body and a weight of about 12 kg (26 lb). The hair on the top of their heads are cream-coloured, the body fur is grayish-brown or purplish-brown and the underparts are yellowish. The face and ears are black as are the hands and feet, and sometimes the ends of the limbs. When they move around, they carry their tails pointing backwards.

Distribution and habitat The populations that had been considered to be southern plains gray langur are native to western, central and south-western India. They are found in various forest habitats, both humid and dry, and in dry scrubby locations, and have adapted to live close to humans, visiting agricultural areas, orchards, grassland and villages.

Ecology The diet mainly consists of leaves, fruits and flowers, supplemented by insects, gum and soil. The food is mostly gathered from trees and shrubs, but grasses and small herbs are also eaten. A range of other foods are also eaten such as cultivated plants, tubers and roots. The monkeys are often fed by humans and accept cakes, millet, and other foods. The diet varies according to the time of year and food availability. In some areas, cattle and deer will stand under trees where the langurs are feeding and consume the edible pieces that they drop. The monkeys are preyed on by leopards, tigers and dholes, and they sometimes mob snakes. Groups may consist of a mature male with several females and their offspring of different ages; or they may be larger mixed-sex groups, or groups of different sizes formed entirely of males. Females often remain permanently in their natal group while males change groups more often. The dominant male in a mixed-sex group fathers all or most of the young. The incidence of infanticide is high and dominant females are more likely to raise their young successfully. The gestation period is about two hundred days and weaning takes place at about thirteen months. Females are sociable towards each other and much infant care is provided by females other than the mother. The southern plains gray langur can live for about thirty years.

Status The populations that had been regarded as southern plains gray langur have a very wide range and are common. It faces no particular threats and when it was considered a species the International Union for Conservation of Nature assessed its conservation status as being of least concern. It is illegal to kill or capture these monkeys, but the law is not well known or well enforced, and many are used for public entertainment or kept as pets. They are considered sacred and some are used by Hindu priests for religious purposes. They have adapted to living in close proximity to humans in urban settings and occasionally get killed on the road. In rural areas, they may be persecuted by farmers when they raid crops. They are also sometimes hunted for food, and certain parts of their body are used for lucky charms.

References

External links Media related to Semnopithecus dussumieri at Wikimedia Commons Data related to Semnopithecus dussumieri at Wikispecies

Illustrations

Southern plains gray langur: Range that had been attributed to the southern plains gray langur — Range that had been attributed to the southern plains gray langur

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Southern plains gray langur

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Southern plains gray langur claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Southern plains gray langur before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Southern plains gray langur ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Southern plains gray langur

In research: Southern plains gray langur appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Southern plains gray langur in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Southern plains gray langur is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Mammal common names, Monkeys in India, Semnopithecus, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Southern plains gray langur outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Southern plains gray langur in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Southern plains gray langur means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Southern plains gray langur out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Southern plains gray langur in simple terms?

Why does Southern plains gray langur matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Southern plains gray langur?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Southern plains gray langur.