Southport Zoo had a species of guenon in its collection. They gave it the common name Sykes Monkey and listed it under the scientific name Cercopithecus mitis. However, it's my understanding that Cercopithecus mitis is the Blue Monkey and that Sykes Monkey is Cercopithecus albogularis. Am I wrong? Were Southport Zoo wrong? Are neither of us wrong and has there been some re-classification since then? Have there just been some change in the common names?
Yes, you’re correct . Sykes’ monkey and blue monkey are the normal English names for Cercopithecus albogularis and Cercopithecus mitis respectively. (Although some authorities have considered C. albogularis to be a synonym of C. mitis.)
Alternatively they can be regarded as subspecies Cercopithecus mitis mitis and Cercopithecus mitis albogularis respectively. Alan
Indeed, and in that case, the species C. albogularis would be considered a synonym of the species C. mitis – as per my earlier post.
I have checked the Zoo Federation ( now Biaza) Mammal inventory for 31st December 1986 . This shows Southport as having 1.2 Sykes monkey - Cercopithecus mitis albogularis , with a further 3.2 at Chester and 1.1 at Manor House . Paignton are listed as having a pair of Diademed monkey - Cercopithecus mitis - I have vague memories of them in the old Monkey House . With recent discussion of UK binturong elsewhere , the inventory shows Southport having 4.8 ! Quite a few mammal species then present which would now be considered to be very exciting .
Does anyone know what the current status /situation regarding Sykes in the UK is at the moment ? Interestingly Drayton Manor had 1.1 in 1975 of which the male only had one hand! Chester had a male living with a female Moloney`s Guenon. Southport had at least one male Sykes in 1969. In 1990 Manor House had at least 0.1 Sykes, and Southport had the two females, which were still there in April 1994. Both Chester`s and Paignton`s Sykes had gone by 1990 apparently.
Chester held Sykes's Guenons 1967-1976 and 1983-1988 Moloney's Guenon 1967-1982 hybrid Sykes's x Moloney's were kept 1971-1983 Pure Sykes's bred in 1970 (1 DNS), 1987 0.1 and 1988 1.0 hybrid Sykes's x Moloney's were bred in 1971 1.0 1973 1.0 and 1976 0.1
