Cercopithecus cephus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Nomenclature and Taxonomy

The moustached guenon, also called the moustached monkey, with the scientific name Cercopithecus cephus, is a primate species belonging to the family Cercopithecidae.

Overall Distribution

It is distributed across Angola, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon.

Basic Biological Traits

This is a medium-sized, arboreal, omnivorous mammal.

Conservation and Research Use

The IUCN notes that moustached guenon populations are considered large, and as a result, this species is widely used in biological laboratories.

Primary Habitat

Cercopithecus cephus typically inhabits undisturbed forests.

Arboreal Detection Challenges

Because they are arboreal, they are not easily captured or recorded by ground-level cameras.

Activity Pattern and Habitat Sharing

These monkeys are diurnal, and they share vertical habitat space with other species.

Jumping Ability

They are naturally capable of jumping between tropical trees, with jumps reaching up to 20 meters from one tree to another.

Regional Range Concentration

They are especially widespread in Gabon and Northern Congo.

Core Range Boundaries

Their core range extends from the south and east side of the Sanaga River all the way to the Ubangi watersheds.

Occupied Habitat Types

This range is mostly covered by lowland tropical rainforests, but Cercopithecus cephus also occupies gallery forests, flooded forests, and mangrove forests.