Karimunjawa long-tailed macaque

The Karimunjawa long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis karimondjawae) is one of the seven recognized island subspecies of crab-eating macaques (Macaca fascicularis).[1][2] This subspecies is endemic to two islands in the Karimunjawa archipelago (i.e., Karimunjawa and Kemujan islands), located about 80km north of Java, Indonesia.[3] The Karimunjawa long-tailed macaque subspecies is distinguished by its dark dorsal pelage.[2] Due to a decline in habitat and human-macaque conflict issues this subspecies is considered Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).[1]

Karimunjawa long-tailed macaque
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Suborder: Haplorhini
Infraorder: Simiiformes
Family: Cercopithecidae
Genus: Macaca
Species:
Subspecies:
M. f. karimondjawae
Trinomial name
Macaca fascicularis karimondjawae
Sody, 1949
Karimunjawa archipelago, north of Java, Indonesia

Etymology

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Macaca fascicularis karimondjawae is commonly known as the Karimunjawa long-tailed macaque, referring to the main island on which they occur.[1] In Indonesia, this species is referred to as kera or monyet ekor panjang.[1] M. f. karimondjawae was first described as a subspecies of Macaca irus (I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1826), a synonym for Macaca fascicularis (Raffles, 1821).[1][2]

Characteristics and morphology

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During the last glacial maximum 18 thousand years ago, sea levels were lower than present allowing Macaca fascicularis to disperse over dry land to what are now shallow-water islands (including the Karimunjawa archipelago). Between 18 and 5 thousand years ago, sea levels rose to present levels and populations became isolated.[2] After isolation, the long-tailed macaque populations on shallow-water fringing-islands tended to become darker in color, with the M.f. karimondjawae population having the darkest pelage of shallow-water fringing-island populations. Their dorsal pelage tends to be dark grayish brown with pale yellowish annulations of dorsal hair and the crown tends to have a blackish wash.[2]

Population

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At present, there is no published data on the size of the long-tailed macaque population on Kemujan island, but they are reported to be there and have been estimated to be between 30-50 individuals.[1][3]

In 2008, a population survey of the long-tailed macaques was conducted on Karimunjawa island. The population was estimated at 269 individuals and found in three sites (i.e., Kemloko, Legon Lele, and Nyamplungan). At this time, the total population of M.f. karimondjawae was estimated to be less than 500 individuals.[3]

Another population survey was conducted in 2017 by the Karimunjawa National Park staff and the population was estimated at 192 individuals in the same three locations as the 2008 assessment.[1]

Distribution

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The Karimunjawa long-tailed macaque is only found on Karimunjawa and Kemujan islands, which are shallow-water islands that are part of the Karimunjawa archipelago, north of Java, Indonesia.[2][3] Karimunjawa and Kemujan islands are connected by a short land bridge and the extent of occurrence was calculated as 27 km^2.[1] On these islands, long-tailed macaques are found in mangrove forests and coastal and lowland tropical rainforest.[3]

Assessments indicate that the area of occupancy (AOO) of the Karimunjawa long-tailed macaque is shrinking; in 2008, the AOO was estimated to be 23.47 km^2, yet in 2017 the AOO was estimated at 12.86 km^2.[1]

Behavior

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To preface, little information is written on the specific behavior of this particular subspecies of long-tailed macaque, long-tailed macaque subspecies share a lot of similarities, but they do exhibit quite a bit of variation as well.[4] Long-tailed macaques live in matrilineal groups.[5][6] The 2008 population survey of M.f. karimondjawae counted 23 groups and a total of 269 individuals.[3] Because the 2017 survey indicated a decrease in population,[1] the number of groups may have also decreased. Long-tailed macaque groups size varies considerably (<10>85),[5] but smaller groups are found in mangrove forests,[5] like those where the Karimunjawa subspecies exist.[3] Groups often exhibit female philopatry with males emigrating from natal group at puberty.[5][7] In long-tailed macaques, overlap of home ranges of adjacent groups is usually slight, but on smaller islands group overlap can be extensive.[2] Long-tailed macaques living near water are known to be accomplished swimmers.[5]

Threats

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Significant levels of human-macaque conflict have been reported on Karimunjawa island.[3] The human inhabitants on the island are mainly farmers and fisherman, they depend on limited natural resources on the island which puts them in direct competition with the macaques.[1][3]

Conservation

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In 2022, the Karimunjawa long-tailed macaque was assessed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN's Red List. This assessment was based on the fact that this subspecies is found only in a single location (as defined by the IUCN) and faces a decline in habitat quality, in addition to significant human-macaque conflict issues. From the 2017 population assessment, the total population is estimated to be less than 250 individuals. The previous IUCN listing for this subspecies in 2008 and 2020 was Data Deficient.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Kristiawan; Hansen, M.F.; Ang, A.; Gumert, M.D. (2022). "Macaca fascicularis ssp. karimondjawae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2022: e.T39787A199564341. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T39787A199564341.en. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Fooden, J. (1995). Systematic review of Southeast Asian longtail macaques, Macaca fascicularis (Raffles, [1821]). Fieldiana, Zoology, new ser., no. 81. Field Museum of Natural History. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.3456.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Afendi, N.; Rachmawan, D.; Gumert, M.D. (2011). "The long-tailed macaque of Karimunjawa (Macaca fascicularis karimondjawae): A small and isolated island subspecies threatened by human-macaque conflict". In Gumert, M.D.; Fuentes, A.; Jones-Engel, L. (eds.). Monkeys on the edge: Ecology and management of long-tailed macaques and their interface with humans. Cambridge University Press. pp. 12–14. ISBN 978-0521764339.
  4. ^ Gumert, M.D. (2011). "The common monkey of Southeast Asia: Long-tailed macaque populations, ethnophoresy, and their occurrence in human environments". In Gumert, M.D.; Fuentes, A.; Jones-Engel, L. (eds.). Monkeys on the edge: Ecology and management of long-tailed macaques and their interface with humans. Cambridge University Press. pp. 3–44. ISBN 978-0521764339.
  5. ^ a b c d e Sussman, R.W.; Shaffer, C.A.; Guidi, L. (2011). "Macaca fascicularis in Mauritius: implications for macaque-human interactions and for future research on long-tailed macaques". In Gumert, M.D.; Fuentes, A.; Jones-Engel, L. (eds.). Monkeys on the edge: ecology and management of long-tailed macaques and their interface with humans. Cambridge University Press. pp. 207–235. ISBN 978-0521764339.
  6. ^ van Noordwijk, Maria A.; van Schaik, Carcl P. (1999-01-01). "The effects of dominance rank and group size on female lifetime reproductive success in wild long-tailed macaques,Macaca fascicularis". Primates. 40 (1): 105–130. doi:10.1007/BF02557705. ISSN 1610-7365. PMID 23179535.
  7. ^ Ruiter, J.R.D; Geffen, E. (1998-01-22). "Relatedness of matrilines, dispersing males and social groups in long–tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis)". Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences. 265 (1391): 79–87. doi:10.1098/rspb.1998.0267. ISSN 0962-8452. PMC 1688868. PMID 9474793.