Colobinae are a subfamily of the Old World monkey family that includes 58 species in 9 genera, including the skunk-like black-and-white colobus, the large-nosed Proboscis Monkey, and the gray langurs, sacred to India. Some classifications split the colobine monkeys into two tribes, while others split them into three groups. Both classifications put the two African genera Colobus and Piliocolobus in one group, both genera distinct in that they have a stub thumb. The various Asian genera are placed into one or two other groups.
Colobines are medium sized primates with long tails and diverse colorations. It is remarkable that nearly all of the young animals differ in their coloring substantially from the adults.
Most species are arboreal, although some live a more terrestrial life. They are found in many different habitats of the different climate zones (rain forests, mangroves, mountain forests and savanah), but not in deserts and other dry areas. They live in groups, but in different group forms.
They are almost exclusively herbivores, which predominantly nourish themselves on leaves, flowers and fruits. They occaisionally eat insects and other small animals. To aid in digestion, particularly for hard to digest leaves, they have a multipart, complex stomach. Unlike the other subfamily of Old World monkeys, the Cercopithecinae, they possess no cheek pouches.
Gestation averages six to seven month. Young are weaned for approximately one year and are mature at 3 to 6 years. Their life expectancy is approximately 20 years.
Subfamily Colobinae or colobus monkeys, leaf-monkeys, and relatives
The most striking specialization of the subfamily Colobinae is the complex stomach, which is divided into pockets, or chambers (sacculations), and banded by two longitudinal muscular strips.
The subfamily Colobinae is very widespread; you find them in Africa, as the fl and white monkeys, all over India as Hanuman langurs and in South-east Asia as leaf eating monkeys and those wonderful droopy nosed proboscis monkeys in Borneo.
Despite their wide geographic distribution, the Old World monkeys are a relatively similar group and are classified as the superfamily Cercopithecoidea, whose members are referred to as cercopithecoids.
One of the chief characteristics of the subfamilyCercopithecinae is the cheek pouches, which are lacking in the members of the subfamilyColobinae.
The most striking specialization of the subfamilyColobinae is the complex stomach, which is divided into pockets, or chambers (sacculations), and banded by two longitudinal muscular strips.
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