The Siamang (Hylobates syndactylus) is an arboreal black furred gibbon native to the forests of Malaysia and Sumatra. The largest of the lesser apes, the siamang can be twice the size of other gibbons, reaching 1 m in height, and weighing up to 23 kg. The Siamang and all the gibbons are classified in the genusHylobates, some primatologists place the siamangs in their own genus, Symphalangus.
The Siamang is distinctive for two reasons. The first is the fact that two fingers on each hand are fused together (hence the name "syndactylus"). The second is the large "gular sac", a throat pouch which can be inflated to the size of the head, allowing siamangs to make loud resonating calls.
There are two subspecies of Siamangs: the Sumatran Siamang (H. s. syndactylus) and the Malaysian Siamang (H. s. continentis).
The family is divided into four genera based on their diploid chromosome number: Hylobates (44), Hoolock (38), Nomascus (52), and Symphalangus (50).
They occur in tropical and subtropical rainforests from northeast India to Indonesia and north to southern China, including the islands of Sumatra, Borneo and Java.
The Siamang, which is the largest of the 13 species, is distinguished by having two fingers on each hand stuck together, hence the generic and species names Symphalangus and syndactylus.
Feeds |
Contact