The Distribution of the Samango Monkey (Cercopithecus mitis erythrarchus Peters, 1852 and Cercopithecus mitis labiatus I. Geoffroy, 1843) and Forest History in Southern Africa

Abstract

The distribution patterns of extant forest dwelling animals in southern Africa are largely assumed to be a coh- sequence of vegetation adjustments following climatic changes during the Quaternary. This paper uses a historical biogeographic approach to account for some of the distribu- tional anomalies shown by the samango monkey. The prob- able extent of forest during the Quaternary and the radiation of the samango monkey (Cercopithecus mitis subsp.) is examined, as an example of the possible course of events that could have influence the present-day distribu- tion of forest mammals in southern Africa. I suggest that southern African forest mammals followed two possible ra- diation routes into the region. These routes relate directly to the timing, and extent of development, of Afromontane and Indian Ocean Coastal Belt forest respectively, in the south- ern African subregion in the past.