Dryas Monkey

  • Common Name: Dryas monkey
  • Taxonomy Classification Year: 1932
  • Monkey Size: 40 to 55 cm (15.75 to 21.65)
  • Skin Color(s): Grayish chestnut
  • Habitat: Rainforest
  • Diet: Omnivorous
  • Native Countries: Democratic Republic of Congo

Dryas monkey Distribution

Dryas Monkey Characteristics

The Dryas monkey[1], also called the Salonga monkey, Inoko, or Ekele is a little-known Old World primate only found in the Congo Basin and restricted to the Congo River’s left bank.

  • An adult male Chlorocebus dryas is distinguished by its black snout, short white facial beard, and white whiskers.
  • The dorsal surface of the body is grayish-brown with a coronal crown. This species also has white on the ventral body, tail, lower limbs, and buttocks.
  • The upper extremities are similar in color to the rest of its body, blackish brown/dark grey.
  • A mature male’s rump dazzles like fireworks on the 4th of July. A large patch of bare skin shines aquamarine under the tail and extends to the testicles.
  • Above, a small patch of cherry-red skin highlights the anus. This colorful display is surrounded by a ring of bright white coats contrasting nicely with the species’ black limbs.
  • Not all males have bright blue testicles and backside. It can be age-related, hormonal, or a sign of health or status within the group.

Dryas Monkey Facts

  • Unlike guenon monkeys, which make loud leaps and resounding calls, dryas monkeys move silently. Instead, they murmur, whisper, chirp, and chuckle.
  • These monkeys are adept at avoiding human attention but don’t be fooled into thinking they have a drab fashion sense.
  • They eat a lot of herbaceous material, which is uncommon for a small monkey. For example, Dryas monkeys eat terrestrial mushrooms, insects, and the green inner bark of vines. Still, their favorite food seems to be young leaves, a notoriously difficult food to digest.
  • In January 2019, the IUCN downgraded the conservation status of the Dryas monkey from critically endangered to endangered.

Suggested Reading: Different Kinds of Monkeys

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BioExplorer.net. (2024, March 28). Dryas Monkey. Bio Explorer. https://www.bioexplorer.net/animals/mammals/monkeys/dryas-monkey/.
BioExplorer.net. "Dryas Monkey" Bio Explorer, 28 March 2024, https://www.bioexplorer.net/animals/mammals/monkeys/dryas-monkey/.
BioExplorer.net. "Dryas Monkey" Bio Explorer, March 28 2024. https://www.bioexplorer.net/animals/mammals/monkeys/dryas-monkey/.
Key References
  • [1]“Using local knowledge and camera traps to investigate occurrence and habitat preference of an Endangered primate: the endemic dryas monkey in the Democratic Republic of the Congo”. Accessed December 03, 2022. Link.

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