Kloss’ Gibbon (Hylobates klossii)


MORPHOLOGY:
This species has relatively long forearms which assist it in suspensory behavior. This species has throat sac located beneath the chin to help enhance the calls. Kloss’ gibbon lacks a tail, caudal vertebrae. The average body mass for an adult male Kloss’ gibbon is around 5.6 kilograms, and for the female it is around 5.9 kilograms (Fleagle, 1988). The pelage color for both males and females is black.

RANGE:
Kloss’ gibbon is found on the Mentawai Islands which are West of the island of Sumatra. This species is found in semideciduous monsoon forests and tropical evergreen forests. Kloss’ gibbon prefers the upper canopy of the forest.

ECOLOGY:
Kloss’ gibbon is a frugivorous species, but will also consume flowers and insects. Kloss’ gibbon prefers to consume fruits high in sugar such as the fig (Ficus). This an arboreal and a diurnal species. This species sleeps and rests in the emergent trees (Leighton, 1987). Kloss’ gibbon tries to pick trees that do not biting insects.

LOCOMOTION:
Kloss’ gibbon is a true brachiator which means it moves by suspensory behavior (Fleagle, 1988). The brachiation is of a type where Kloss’ gibbon throws itself from tree to tree over gaps of 10 meters or more using there arms (Fleagle, 1988). This species also climbs when moving slowly and feeding (Fleagle, 1988). This species is also able to move for short distances by bipedalism (Fleagle, 1988).

SOCIAL BEHAVIOR:
Kloss’ gibbon has a monogamous mating and social system. The basic group structure is the breeding pair and their offspring. Both males and females emigrate from their natal group around adolescence. This is a territorial species. Adolescent and subadult males participate in the defending of the territory against conspecific males with their fathers (Tilson, 1981).

VOCAL COMMUNICATION:

OLFACTORY COMMUNICATION:

VISUAL COMMUNICATION:

TACTILE COMMUNICATION:
social grooming: This is when one individual grooms another and is used to reinforce the bonds between individuals.

REPRODUCTION:
Kloss’ gibbon gives birth to a single offspring.

REFERENCES:
Burton, Frances. 1995. The Multimedia Guide to the Non-human Primates. Prentice-Hall Canada Inc.

Fleagle, John G. 1988. Primate Adaptation and Evolution. Academic Press.

Leighton, D.R. 1987. Gibbons: Territoriality and Monogamy. In Primate Societies. eds. B.B. Smuts, D.L. Cheney, R.M. Seyfarth, R.W. Wrangham, and T.T. Struhsaker. University of Chicago Press.

Tilson, R.L. 1981. Family Formation Strategies of Kloss’ Gibbons. Folia Primatologica, Vol. 35, 259-287.

Last Updated: October 8, 2003.
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