The Vervet Monkey, or Chlorocebus, is part of the Old-World monkey classification of medium sized primates. There are typically six species that science recognizes, but there is disagreement as to whether this is one species of a species and subspecies. For the entire species of Chloroceus, the terms "vervet" and "green" monkey are used interchangeably even though there refer to some other species as common names.
Vervet Monkey, or Chlorocebus, is part of the Old-World monkey classification of medium sized primates. There are typically six species that science recognizes, but there is disagreement as to whether this is one species of a species and subspecies. For the entire species of Chloroceus, the terms "vervet" and "green" monkey are used interchangeably even though there refer to some other species as common names (Groves).
Taxonomy
Suborder: Haplorrhini
Infraorder: Simiiformes
Superfamily: Cercopithecoidea
Family: Cercopithecidae
Subfamily: Cercopithecinae
Genus: Chlorocebus
Species: Ch. aethiops, Ch. cynosuros, Ch. djamdjamensis, Ch. pygerythrus, Ch. sabaeus, Ch. tantalus
Subspecies: Ch. p. excubitor, Ch. p. hilgerti, Ch. p. nesiotes, Ch. p. pygerythrus, Ch. p. rufoviridis, Ch. t. budgetti, Ch. t. marrensis, Ch. t. tantalus
Other names: Ch. aethiops: Cercopithecus aethiops, Cercopithecus aethiops, or Chlorocebus aethiops; grivet or savanna monkey; singe vert (French); grunmeerkatze (German); mono verde (Spanish); gron markatta or vervett (Swedish); Ch. cynosuros: malbrouck; Ch. djamdjamensis: Bale Mountains vervet or djam-djam; Ch. pygerythrus: Cercopithecus aethiops pygerythrus or Chlorocebus aethiops pygerythrus; vervet monkey; Ch. sabaeus: Cercopithecus aethiops sabaeus or Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus; green monkey; Ch. tantalus: Cercopithecus aethiops tantalus or Chlorocebus aethiops tantalus; tantalus monkey (Vervet Chlorocebus)
Morphology
Typically, the vervet monkey has a yellow to green-brown coat with white undersides and white fur on brows and cheeks. They have bluish skin on thei abdomens; but their faces, hands and feet are all black-skinned. Males of all species have bright blue scrotum areas and bright red penises. There is often some variation in fur length and coloration. The males and females are sexually dimorphic; adult males weigh between 4-8 kg and measure between 400-600 mm; adult females between 3-5.5 kg weight and 300-500 mm. They move as quadrupeds but are very comfortable on the ground being semi-terrestrial and semi-arboreal. Lifespan is difficult to prove because of high rates of predation, but after 11 years serious health problems are seen in captives, leading scholars to believe the maximum lifespan is about 12 years, likely 7 in the wild (Wolfe-Coote).
Geographic Distribution
The Vervet is found in East Africa and can live in mountain areas up to about 13,000 feet. They do not live in deserts or true rainforests, but prefer woodlands along streams, rivers and lakes. They are diurnal, sleeping and eating in trees. They are, in fact, the most widespread of the African monkeys, and inhabit large parts of sub-Saharan regions of the continent. Typically, they are found from Senegal to Ethiopia, north into Egypt, and south into South Africa. As noted, they are absent from the forests of the Congo basin. Artificially, some of the recent conflicts in Africa have made study of the range of the vervet difficult, but we know they have been seen in 39 African nations and also in the Cape Verde Islands. Sea travel introduced the vervet to the Caribbean where, at times they are considered a pest species (National Research Council).
Because they are so widespread, seasonal availability of food and water means that the Vervet must forage for food and be able to consume a wide variety of material. This they share with Chimpanzees and Baboons as being the most omnivorous of the primates. In fact, they eat leaves, seeds, nuts, grasses, fruit, berries, flowers, invertebrates, eggs, birds, lizards, and rodents; but have a clear preference for flowers and fruit. One of the ecological problems, in fact, has been that the vervet often ravages farms for sweet potatoes and corn.
Behavioral Issues
The vervet sleeps in trees to avoid predation from lions, leopards and cheetahs, along with other bush predators; including humans, who hunt vervets as bush meat as well as population control. There are seasonal changes in behavior and activity based on day range and travel for food. In areas where there are fewer resources, vervets need to travel further and thus encounter other tribes more and typically are friendly and social; the exception being times of drought and privation. In certain environments, however, vervets can be extremely territorial. The live in multiple male/female groupings, sometimes as large as 80 individuals. They exhibit a strong group hierarchy -- with dominant males and females given priority in food gathering and consumption. The vervet exhibit a social system in which the females remain in the same home range from birth, but males leave once they are sexually mature. Grouping typically occupy an area of .06 to 1.78 square kilometers; and use a wide variety of vocalizations to establish territorial rights, ward of predators, are disciplined by a member of the troop, or to communicate affection. They have extremely high and developed social interactions and are able to form alliances within their groups. Physical affection, like with other primates, very important to the individual and the social network of the clan (Groves, Cawthon).
Natural Selection vs. Adaptation
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