Juvenile putty nosed guenon

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Genus Cercopithecus

Depending on the reference source, 26 species of guenons are described (21 forest species, 5 savannah species), and numerous subspecies. Southern Nigeria is home to 7 forest species: C. mona, C. nictitans, C. preussi, C. erythrotis, C. sclateri, C. pogonias, C. erythrogaster. Many guenons are classified as threatened or endangered due to increased habitat destruction and hunting and restricted geographical distribution.

Guenons are small arboreal monkeys with round-ish heads, long legs and extremely long tails. Beyond this they exhibit a huge variety of coat colours and patterns, particularly facial patterns. Although Old World monkeys do not have true prehensile tails, infants use their tail as a prehensile limb, wrapping it around the mother’s tail while clinging to her underbelly. Their extraordinarily long tails assist with balance and manoeuvrability.

The common name guenon comes from the French word, meaning "fright", and refers to the fact that these small monkeys grimace and expose teeth when they are excited or angry.

Life history and ecology
Forest guenons inhabit forests and woodlands, including mangrove forests, and are diurnal (active early morning and late afternoon /evening), are primarily arboreal (spending most of their lives in the trees) and omnivorous, eating a wide variety of foods, including fruits, leaves, buds, flowers, nuts, and animal matter. Insects are a vital part of the diet, particularly for pregnant and lactating females. Home range and troop size varies with habitat quality and species; Home range varies greatly - 3 to 96 hectares, with an average of about 16 hectares. Troop size also varies greatly - from 5 to 200 (one group of C. ascanius), average 15 to 20. Different guenon species will often associate together (and also with mangabey and colobus monkeys) for several days at a time, feeding and resting. While some populations breed throughout the year, particularly where there are no pronounced seasons, others breed at the end of the dry season, allowing lactation to proceed when rainfall is high, and fruiting trees abundant. Gestation is approximately 6 months, giving birth to a single young, although twins are born on rare occasions. The longest living forest guenon in captivity was recorded at 33 years.
Social Behaviour
Guenon troops are not as strictly organized, or hierarchical as some primate societies, but rather they have a loose hierarchy, with the dominant male serving more as a friendly protector than a policeman. Within this general social structure, there appears to be much flexibility, both within and between species - multi-male, single male troops, male and female dispersal have all been observed. Although territorial, they tend to avoid serious conflicts with other groups.  Guenons take shelter in trees when alarmed, and keep a watchful eye out for predators which include large eagles and snakes. Some species are very good swimmers (including C. mona, who particularly like water, and will sometimes play in it). Young animals play constantly, learning how to be agile and swift in the trees - key skills for avoiding predators. When danger is sensed, the monkeys sound the alarm, and vocalizations spread like a wave through the troop as they pull together to remove themselves from whatever danger threatens. Vocalizations are highly varied between species, each with a distinctive male loud call. They also display a variety of alarm and contact calls which sound more like bird chirps, trills and whistles.

Classification and distribution