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Boundary zone between northern and southern pig-tailed macaques and their morphological differences

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Abstract

Based on previous conflicting reports that the two forms of pig-tailed macaque (northern and southern) exist as separate species, subspecies, or forms, and that their boundary zone lies in Thailand, a survey of the distribution range and morphology of pig-tailed macaques in Thailand was conducted during 2003–2010. We first conducted a questionnaire survey. Questionnaires were sent to 7,410 subdistricts throughout Thailand. We then traveled to 72 of the 123 subdistricts reporting the presence of pig-tailed macaques. However, due to a lack of reports of the presence of free-ranging pig-tailed macaques living south of the Isthmus of Kra, a survey of pet pig-tailed macaques was also conducted during 16–24 September 2011. Furthermore, 35 wild northern pig-tailed macaques inhabiting northern Thailand (13°13′N, 101°03′E) were temporarily caught and their morphological characters were measured and then compared to those of the southern form captured from Sumatra, Indonesia. Although largely allopatric, the ranges of the northern and southern pig-tailed macaques in Thailand were found to have a partially sympatric boundary at the Surat Thani–Krabi depression (8–9°30′N). Morphologically, these two forms were very distinctive, with different morphological characters such as the crown patch, the white color of the triangle above the eyes, the red streak at the external rim of the eyes, pelage color, ischial callosity, tail length and carriage, facial height, and limb length in both sexes, and patterns of sex skin swelling and reddening in females. These differences in morphological characters between the northern and southern forms should help settle the problems of their taxonomy.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Dr. Robert Butcher, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, for proofreading the manuscript. This study was supported in part by the Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science (grant nos. 1645017 and 20255006), the National Research Council of Thailand (grant no. 39461), the Plant Genetic Conservation Project under the Royal Initiative of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn (grant no. 1323110042), and the Thailand Research Fund (grant nos. RSA/02/2545 and RMU4880019). The National Research Council of Thailand provided YH and HT with a Foreign Research Permit to work in Thailand. The experimental protocol complied with the guide for the care and use of laboratory animals prepared by the National Research Council of Thailand.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Primate Research Unit, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand

    Suchinda Malaivijitnond & Sukanya Jaroenporn

  2. Khao Khieow Open Zoo, Chonburi, Thailand

    Visit Arsaithamkul

  3. Evolution and Phylogeny Section, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan

    Hiroyuki Tanaka

  4. Evolutionary Morphology Section, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan

    Porrawee Pomchote & Yuzuru Hamada

  5. Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Bogor Agricultural University, Kampus IPB Darmaga, Bogor, 1668, Indonesia

    Bambang Suryobroto

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  1. Suchinda Malaivijitnond
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  3. Hiroyuki Tanaka
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  7. Yuzuru Hamada
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Correspondence to Suchinda Malaivijitnond.

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Malaivijitnond, S., Arsaithamkul, V., Tanaka, H. et al. Boundary zone between northern and southern pig-tailed macaques and their morphological differences. Primates 53, 377–389 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10329-012-0316-4

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