Greater Spot-Nosed Monkey

• Common Name: Greater spot-nosed Monkey
• Taxonomy Classification Year: 1766
• Monkey Size: 40 to 55 cm (15.75 to 21.65 in)
• Skin Color(s): Olive to black
• Habitat: Forest, rainforest
• Diet: Omnivorous
• Native Countries: Guinea, Democratic Republic of Congo

The greater spot-nosed monkey^[1] (Cercopithecus nictitans), also called the greater white-nosed monkey, putty-nosed monkey, and white-nosed guenons, is among the smallest Old-World Monkeys.

• Cercopithecus nictitans is most easily identified by a prominent white patch covering the nose. Their fur is dark, olive, or black, sometimes with a white patch on their chest.
• They have cheek pouches in which they store food while feeding.
• On average, individuals weigh between 4.2 and 6.6 kilograms, making them the largest of the genus Cercopithecus.
• Sexual dimorphism is evident, with males being more prominent in size and body mass than females.
• Great spot-nosed apes live mainly in trees but also move through the forest on all fours.

The African Journal of ecology publication indicates that leopards (Panthera pardus) predate Greater spot-nosed Monkeyss^[§].

• Great spot-nosed monkeys have a polygamous mating system in which a resident adult male coexists with multiple adult females and their young.
• They are generally social and found in groups of 12 to 30 animals. However, there is evidence of intra-group competition for dominant male status.
• They are primarily active in the mid-canopy, often demonstrating acrobatic movements such as leaps and darts.
• Their habitat overlaps with the Diana monkeys (Cercopithecus diana). The two species are thought to form mixed-species groups to protect themselves from predators and take advantage of opportunities to forage together.
• Males make loud, low-pitched calls to communicate territoriality and as a warning call to predators.