#trachypithecus cristatus

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A silvery lutung, also known as a silvered leaf monkey or silvery langur, pictured within foliage. 

Trachypithecus cristatus

Court Whelan, Ph.D.

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A silvery lutung (Trachypithecus cristatus) in Sabah, Borneo

by Gary Faulkner

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Silvery lutung (Trachypithecus cristatus) at Kinabalu Park in Malaysia

Barbara Evans

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Silvered leaf monkey

Silvered Leaf Monkey by Duncan Jackson on 500px

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Silvered leaf langurs | ©Norhayati Ahmad

Commonly named Silvered langur, Silvery langur, Silvered leaf monkey, or Silvery luting, these monkeys belong to the species Trachypithecus cristatus (Primates - Cercopithecidae), easily recognized due to its dark, silver-tipped fur, and dark-skinned face.

This extremely agile animal has long limbs and, like other leaf monkeys, the tail is considerably longer than the body. Despite its disproportionate size, the tail is not prehensile, and therefore the predominant purpose of the tail of the silvered leaf monkey is not to grasp or hold objects, but to provide balance. The latter part of the scientific name, cristatus, comes from the Latin word ‘crista’ meaning crest or tuft, referring to the pointed crest of fur on top of its head [1].

With a distribution ranging from mainland Southeast Asia to the Sunda region, the silvered langur species group is the most widely distributed species complex of the genus Trachypithecus. However, the systematic classification of its members and the phylogenetic relationships among them are less understood, leading to different classification schemes and proposed distribution zones [2].

Trachypithecus cristatus is classified as Near Threatened species on the IUCN Red List, and is listed on Appendix II of CITES. Its main threats are the disappearance of suitable lowland habitat due to land clearance, and forest fires. The species is hunted in Sarawak, while in Sumatra it is heavily traded and is a popular pet [3].