colobus

Large tree-dwelling African monkey characterized by the almost complete suppression of the thumb. There are five species divided into two groups: the black-and-white colobus and the red colobus. They live in groups and feed on fruit, leaves, flowers, and twigs. A further species, Miss Waldron's red colobus, Procolobus badius waldroni, was officially declared extinct in autumn 2000.

Black-and-white colobus monkeys are slightly larger than red colobus, with a head and body length of 62.5 cm/24.5 in and a long tail (80 cm/31.5 in).

Classification Colobuses are in the genus Colobus, family Cercopithecidae, order Primates.