The agile mangabey lives in troops of around 8 to 22 individuals, usually led by a single adult male (1) (2) (6). The diet is varied and includes fruit, buds, seeds, shoots, leaves, mushrooms, insects and sometimes birds' eggs and small vertebrates (1) (6) (7). Adult males have even occasionally been recorded killing and eating young antelopes (9). The agile mangabey's large incisors and powerful jaws enable it to open tough nuts and pods which other monkeys are unable to exploit (5) (6), while cheek pouches allow food to be gathered for later consumption (6). Agile mangabeys breed year-round, the females giving birth to a single young after a gestation period of around six months (5) (6) (7). Like other mangabeys, the female agile mangabey develops a prominent sexual swelling as a visual signal advertising her readiness to mate (6).

The agile mangabey is a large, slender monkey, with relatively long limbs, a long muzzle, and a tail that is longer than its body (4) (5). Males are much larger than females (2) (6) (7). The hair is short and its individual strands have different coloured bands down their length, giving the coat an overall brownish-grey appearance, which is darkest on the back, and paler fawn, with a white or yellowish tinge, on the underside, inner limbs and chin. In adults, the skin of the hands, feet, face and ears is black, and the tail is long, tapered and sometimes ends in a whitish tuft. The face has a white border and on the forehead a slight “whorl” of hair often exposes a pale patch of skin (2) (6). Mangabeys are quite vocal monkeys, the adult male agile mangabey producing a loud, long-distance call, a whoop followed by a rumble, which can be heard from up to a kilometre away, and may play a role in group spacing (2) (5) (6). Visual signals such as body postures and facial displays are also common, although the agile mangabey lacks the particularly pale eyelids which aid visual communication in other mangabey species (2) (6).

This species is found to the north of the Congo River. It is present in Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, north-east Gabon, northern Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (north of the Congo River to Garamba and Semliki River).

Agile mangabeys, Cercocebus agilis, are found only in forested regions of central Africa that lie north of the Congo river. Currently, this species is found in southeastern Cameroon, eastern portions of continental Equatorial Guinea, northeastern Gabon, northern parts of the Republic of the Congo, southern and central parts of the Central African Republic, and northern parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Biogeographic Regions: ethiopian (Native )

The agile mangabey is found in central and western Africa including Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Central African Republic, northern Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, north of the Congo River (1) (2) (6).

Except for the tail region, the pelage of agile mangabeys is brownish-gray agouti that becomes darker on the back; the tail is agouti only at the base of the fur. The tips of the fur are generally black on the dorsal side of the body. The entire underside is a lighter fawn color. Hair on the head radiates out from a whorl just above the forehead. The bare skin of the hands and feet is black. Except for the upper eyelids, the skin of the ears and face is also black with a border of lighter skin at the hair line. The facial skin of infants begins light but darkens as they age. Color morphs of both light and dark variety reportedly co-occur with the typical color pattern. The size of this species varies somewhat, with western populations being slightly larger than eastern ones. All individuals have relatively long non-prehensile tails. Sexual dimorphism is significant, with adult females attaining only 60 percent of the mass of adult males.

The skull of agile mangabeys, like those of other members of genus Cercocebus, is exceptionally broad. Unlike other members of the subfamily Cercopithecinae, the upper molars of Cercocebus species are wider than they are long. The genus also possesses a "molar flare," which is shared with the rest of Cercopithecinae (other than guenons), as well as a long auditory meatus, wide interorbital pillar, and convex nasal bone. However, agile mangabeys have shorter and narrower skulls and smaller teeth than other Cercocebus species.

Range mass: 5 to 13 kg.

Range length: 44 to 65 cm.

Other Physical Features: endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry

Sexual Dimorphism: male larger

Habitat and Ecology

Systems

• Terrestrial

Agile mangabeys live primarily in periodically flooded primary forests near bodies of fresh water. However, some populations in southern portions of the Central African Republic reportedly live in non-flooded mixed forests away from bodies of water. Agile mangabeys favor the understory and are generally terrestrial while feeding or traveling.

Habitat Regions: tropical ; terrestrial

Terrestrial Biomes: rainforest

Wetlands: swamp

Other Habitat Features: riparian

Typically near water in swamp forest, riparian forest or other seasonally flooded forest (4) (6) (8), though terra firma forest may also be used (1) (6). Agile mangabeys are most often found on the ground or in the lower levels of the forest, at heights of up to 10 metres (1) (4) (6).

Agile mangabeys are generalized omnivores that feed on plant, fungi, and animal material. They prefer both ripe and unripe fruits and, particularly, old hard nuts and seeds that they open with their robust molars and thickened enamel. These nuts may be found on the ground or buried beneath and even in elephant dung that the monkeys go through. Furthermore, agile mangabeys have large incisors and particularly strong jaw muscles that can be used to crack open fruits and pods too tough for other sympatric species of monkeys. Besides fruit, nuts, and seeds, agile mangabeys consume leaves, monocotyledon hoots, the terminal tips of herbs and grasses, roots, fungi, buds, bird eggs, insects, and occasional vertebrates. Animal matter represents a significant part of their diet. Agile mangabeys are reported to spend 26 to 30 percent of their feeding foraging only for insects and have been known to kill vertebrates as large as young antelope. Like all "cheek pouch" monkeys, agile mangabeys are capable of gathering food into pouches in their cheeks to be saved for consumption later on.

Animal Foods: mammals; eggs; insects

Plant Foods: leaves; roots and tubers; seeds, grains, and nuts; fruit

Other Foods: fungus

Primary Diet: omnivore

The primary role that Cercocebus agilis likely plays in its environment is that of seed disperser. Since agile mangabeys specialize in breaking open and eating particularly tough fruits, seed pods, and nuts (many of which may remain on the forest floor for years before being eaten), it is likely that these monkeys play some role in the reproduction of the species of plants to which the fruits, nuts, and seed pods belong. They almost certainly affect the populations of the insects that they eat, since these make up a significant portion of their diet, and they probably have some small affect on small vertebrate populations within their home ranges. Agile mangabeys are also prey for larger predators.

Agile mangabeys serve as hosts for a variety of parasitic species. In a study published in 2002 and conducted on a variety of humans and non-human primates living in a park in the Central African Republic, agile mangabeys were found to host at least 7 different kinds of parasites, including ascaroid and strongylate helminths, trichomonads,and various protozoa.

Ecosystem Impact: disperses seeds

Commensal/Parasitic Species:

• Entamoeba histolytica
• Entamoeba coli
• Balantidium coli
• Iodamoeba butschii

Non-human predation on agile mangabeys is relatively low because of the environments in which these monkeys typically live. Terrestrial predators can not easily hunt in swampy or flooded areas, and predatory birds can not easily pick off animals living in dense undergrowth. However, leopards (Panthera pardus), pythons (Python), and crowned eagles (Stephanoaetus coronatus) are all known to feed on agile mangabeys to some extent. Agile mangabeys are also hunted by humans as a sources of bush meat.

Anti-predator adaptations of this species, aside from its difficult environment, include alarm-calling. The particular alarm call of the agile mangabey is a long-series, high-frequency "chuckle."

Known Predators:

• leopards (Panthera pardus)
• crowned eagles (Stephanoaetus coronatus)
• pythons (Python species)
• humans (Homo sapiens)

Agile mangabeys communicate primarily through visual and auditory signals, but they may also use olfactory and tactile signals as well. Vocal communication is particularly important in a forested environment when danger calls emitted by one member of a group can alert the rest to the presence of a predator or communicate the group's position to other neighboring groups. Visual communication is typically used in interactions between members of the same group. Aggression, for example, is displayed through a combination of staring, raising the eyebrows, flashing the eyelids, bobbing the head, and opening the mouth while the teeth remain covered by the lips. Sexual readiness is indicated through "pouting." Olfactory communication is limited to pheromone production. Males, for instance, can check a female's estrous status by sniffing her when she presents to him. Tactile communication is limited primarily to instances in which one individual mounts another for non-sexual reasons; presenting for non-sexual reasons is linked to the pacification of dominant individuals by subordinate individuals. Like all primates, they perceive the world around them using smell, touch, taste, hearing, and, especially, vision.

Communication Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical

Other Communication Modes: pheromones

Perception Channels: visual ; acoustic

Agile mangabeys live for as long as 20 years in the wild, but average lifespan is unknown. Few agile mangabeys are kept in captivity, so their lifespan in captivity is also unknown.

Range lifespan

Status: wild: 20 (high) years.

Maximum longevity: 31 years (captivity) Observations: One wild born specimen was about 31 years old when it died in captivity (Richard Weigl 2005).

Agile mangabeys live in small to medium-sized groups of animals that may include either one or several males. Females develop sexual swellings when they are in estrous. It is assumed that they are either polygynous or promiscuous, but not much is known about their mating behavior in the wild.

Mating System: polygynous ; polygynandrous (promiscuous)

Agile mangabeys begin breeding at age 4 to 5 and breed throughout the year with a gestation period of 165 to 175 days. They have only one offspring at a time. Newborn offspring are mostly hairless and cling to the underbelly fur of their mothers while the mothers move around.

Breeding interval: The breeding interval for agile mangabeys is not known.

Breeding season: Agile mangabeys breed year round.

Average number of offspring: 1.

Range gestation period: 165 to 175 days.

Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 4 to 5 years.

Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 4 to 5 years.

Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; year-round breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); viviparous

Parental care is provided primarily by the mother in the form of nursing and carrying infants. However, males sometimes hold and carry infants. It is not known whether or not this behavior correlates with paternity. Upon reaching independence, the young group with others of the same age and generally avoid adults.

Parental Investment: altricial ; pre-fertilization (Provisioning, Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Male, Female); extended period of juvenile learning

The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species. 

 
There is 1 barcode sequence available from BOLD and GenBank.   Below is the sequence of the barcode region Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI or COX1) from a member of the species.  See the BOLD taxonomy browser for more complete information about this specimen.  Other sequences that do not yet meet barcode criteria may also be available.
 

Download FASTA File

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 1
Species: 1
Species With Barcodes: 1

Cercocebus agilis has a steady population and is not considered in current danger of extinction. However, deforestation is a potential threat to those populations not living in protected areas, and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums has set up a Species Survival Plan for them. These animals are also occasionally killed for their meat and as pests.

US Federal List: no special status

CITES: appendix ii

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern

Classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List (1) and listed on Appendix II of CITES (3).

Population

Population Trend

Major Threats

The agile mangabey is under threat from habitat loss in the form of deforestation for timber and firewood, and is also hunted for bushmeat in some areas. Agile mangabeys are also sometimes killed by farmers for raiding crops (1) (6) (8). However, the species has a wide distribution and populations are still relatively stable, so the agile mangabey is not currently considered globally threatened (1).

Conservation Actions

The agile mangabey is listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), meaning that international trade in this species should be carefully monitored and controlled (3). It is also listed on Class B of the African Convention on the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, meaning agile mangabeys can only be captured or killed with special authorisation (10). The agile mangabey occurs in a few protected areas including Odzala National Park in the Republic of Congo (11) and Dja Faunal Reserve in Cameroon (8) (12). However, the IUCN recommend that further study is needed into the impact of hunting on this species (1).

Agile mangabeys are likely carriers of some human diseases or, at least, or strains closely related to human versions of the same disease. These include T-cell leukemia virus and probably Simian Immunodeficiency Virus as well. Since agile mangabeys are hunted for bushmeat, the potential for mutated strains of these viruses to jump hosts and spread to human populations is greatly increased. This species is also viewed by locals in the areas where it lives as a crop pest.

Negative Impacts: injures humans (carries human disease); crop pest

Agile mangabeys are sometimes hunted for bushmeat.

Positive Impacts: food