About Chlorocebus tantalus (Ogilby, 1841)
Chlorocebus tantalus, commonly called the tantalus monkey, is a medium-sized primate. It has a black face and a long tail, with a distinctive undulating white or yellowish browband above its eyes. The cheeks and temples are covered in white long hairs that are swept backwards, and often cover the ears of older individuals. The crown and dorsal surface of the body are grizzled, with a greenish or golden tone. Its underparts are white, while the tail and outer surfaces of the limbs are grey; the tail may also have a whitish tip. Males are larger than females, and males have a bright blue scrotum surrounded by orange hairs. This species is native to tropical central Africa, and its natural range covers Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Niger, Nigeria, South Sudan, Sudan, Togo and Uganda. It is a highly adaptable species that can live in open woodland, savannah, forest-grassland mosaic, and riverside forest, and also thrives in secondary forest as well as rural and urban areas. Tantalus monkeys typically live in troops that average around thirty individuals. A typical troop can hold up to ten adult males and eighteen adult females, with varying numbers of juveniles and young. Some adult males travel alone instead of joining a troop. There is an established social hierarchy within each troop. These monkeys are semi-terrestrial and spend much of their time on the ground. Each troop maintains and defends its territory with vocalizations and threat displays, though some groups are less aggressive and will share part of their territory with a neighbouring troop. Breeding occurs at different times of the year across different parts of the species' range. A single offspring is the usual result of each pregnancy, and females give birth to their first offspring when they are around five years old.
