Crowned sifaka
| Crowned sifaka | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Primates |
| Suborder: | Strepsirrhini |
| Family: | Indriidae |
| Genus: | Propithecus |
| Species: | P. coronatus |
| Binomial name | |
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Propithecus coronatus Milne-Edwards, 1871 |
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| Distribution of P. coronatus | |
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The crowned sifaka (Propithecus coronatus) is a sifaka endemic to western Madagascar. It is of comparable size to the Golden-crowned sifaka and up to a meter in length, of which 47-57 centimeters are tail. The species is an arboreal vertical climber and leaper whose diet consists of leaves, fruits and flowers. It is threatened by habitat destruction and currently classified as Endangered by the IUCN.
The crowned sifaka was formerly believed to be a subspecies of either Verreaux's sifaka or Von der Decken's sifaka, but is now considered a valid species following a 2007 analysis of the cranium.
The Crowned sifaka is a medium-sized sifaka who has a total length of 87 to 102 centimeters, of which 47-57 centimeters are tail, and 39.5 - 45.5 cm are the head and body. Males weigh 3.5-4.5 kg and 3.5-5.0 kg for females. It is a sifaka of comparable size to the Golden-crowned sifaka, Von der Decken's sifaka and Verreaux's sifaka. The crowned sifaka is characterized by a creamy white body with tinges of golden brown around the shoulder region, upper chest and back with a dark chocolate or black head with white ear tufts. Their dark grey face is hairless and they have a white tail. Occasionally a pale patch across the bridge of the nose may be present. Crown sifaka color variations occur more commonly in the lower regions of the sifakas range between the Mahavavy and Manombolo rivers. Melanistic forms have been documented, with most occurrences observed where the southern limit of its range overlaps with that of P. deckenii.
The crowned sifaka is found in the mangroves and dry deciduous and riparian forests of northwest Madagascar. Surveys have shown in the northern range of its habitat the crowned sifaka inhabits the forest between the Mahavavy River and Betsiboka River and extending south to the region of highly fragmented forests around the Tsiribihina River, Mahajilo River, and Mania River. Total population size in 2014 was estimated as 4,000-36,000 individuals, at densities of 46-309 individuals/km2 in different-sized forest fragments, with an average group size of 2-8 individuals per group. Estimates remain uncertain since only part of the range has been surveyed so far. Total area of occupancy is thought to be 2,690-4,493 km2.
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