Yunnan lar gibbon

Taxonomy

This animal from Yunnan is listed as a distinct subspecies of the lar gibbon in recent taxonomic articles.

Appearance

This subspecies is distinguished from the other lar gibbon subspecies by its longer dorsal hair, shorter light hair-base, and red-brown or dark-brown pubic hair.Ma, S., & Wang, Y. (1986). The taxonomy and distribution of the gibbons in southern China and its adjacent region – with description of three new subspecies. Zoological Research, 7, 393–410. (Chinese text, English summary).

Status

The Nangunhe Nature Reserve in Southwest Yunnan has been the last stronghold of the Yunnan lar gibbon. During a survey from 4 to 18 November 2007, no evidence of the survival of the Yunnan lar gibbon could be found and the scientists of this survey tentatively concluded the lar gibbon has become extinct in China, and the Yunnan subspecies globally. The 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has listed this subspecies as data deficient "as its taxonomic and geographic limits are not well defined, but population sizes are by all accounts critical, and the remaining populations are near extinction."

References

References

1. (2018). "''Hylobates lar'' ssp. ''yunnanensis''".
2. (2008-05-15). "Weisshandgibbons in China ausgestorben". University of Zurich.
3. Grueter et al. (2009). Are Hylobates lar Extirpated from China? International Journal of Primatology, 30:553–567 ([https://doi.org/10.1007%2Fs10764-009-9360-3 online pdf])
4. However, there is still debate about the validity of this classification.Brandon-Jones, D., Eudey, A. A., Geissmann, T., Groves, C. P., Melnick, D. J., Morales, J. C., et al. (2004). Asian primate classification. International Journal of Primatology, 25, 97–164.
5. Geissmann, T. (2007). Status reassessment of the gibbons: results of the Asian Primate Red List Workshop 2006. Gibbon Journal, 3, 5–15.
6. Ma, S. L., Wang, Y. X., & Poirier, F. E. (1988). Taxonomy, distribution and status of gibbons (Hylobates) in southern China and adjacent areas. Primates, 29, 277–286.