Semnopithecus vetulus

(Erxleben, 1777)

Purple-faced Langur

Taxonomy

Subclass : Theria
Infraclass : Placentalia
Magnorder : Boreoeutheria
Superorder : Euarchontoglires
Order : Primates
Suborder : Haplorhini
Infraorder : Simiiformes
Parvorder : Catarrhini
Superfamily : Cercopithecoidea
Family : Cercopithecidae
Subfamily : Colobinae
Tribe : Presbytini
Genus : Semnopithecus

Species status

Living
Found in the wild
Listed in MSW3 2005

Authority citation

Erxleben, J.C.P. 1777. Systema regni animalis per classes, ordines, genera, species, varietates cum synonymia et historia animalium. Classis I. Mammalia. Impensis Weygandianis, Leipzig, 636 pp.

Authority publication link

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15872822

Original name as described

Cercopithecus Vetulus

Other common names

Purple-faced Leaf Monkey · Purple-faced Monkey · Bear Monkey · Highland Purple-faced Langur · Montane Purple-faced Langur · Northern Purple-faced Langur · Dry Zone Purple-faced Langur · Western Purple-faced Langur · North Lowland Wet Zone Purple-faced Langur · Southern Lowland Wet Zone Purple-faced Langur · Southern Purple-faced Langur

Type locality

Ceylon (= Sri Lanka).

Biogeographic realm

Indomalaya

Country distribution

Sri Lanka

Taxonomy notes

moved to Semnopithecus from Trachypithecus

Taxonomy notes citation

Osterholz, M., Walter, L., Roos, C. 2008. Phylogenetic position of the langur genera Semnopithecus and Trachypithecus among Asian colobines, and genus affiliations of their species group. BMC Evolutionary Biology 8: 58.

IUCN Red List status

Endangered

Species Permalink

https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1000694

Country distribution map

The map below provides a general overview. Most species inhabit only specific regions within countries. Hover over the highlighted regions to see the country name.

Names and synonyms

Present and past (if available) associated names to the species. Click on a name to view its details. If the list is long, scroll down to see more.

Semnopithecus Nestor

E. T. Bennett, 1833

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

nestor

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1855.12.24.12

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/7b792076-461b-493b-ba51-6915c5ae0ff0 https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/997d4423-fa19-4652-9ddb-0fdad0dc5694

Authority page

67

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/12859507

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London

Name usages

Lesson (1842:3) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36812)

Pithecus vetulus phillipsi

(Hinton, 1923)

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

phillipsi

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1923.1.19.1

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/1c51066b-c076-44bc-81eb-13ed2389e9a5 https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/ff20acf3-e38c-4ca8-9cf9-a264419b2c6e

Authority page

510

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/34355764

Authority publication

Annals and Magazine of Natural History

Name usages

Groves (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8549)

Pithecus philbricki

(W. W. A. Phillips, 1927)

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

philbricki

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

BMNH:Mamm:1928.7.12.1

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/38151471-35f1-4d28-9f5d-d6c5ffa58d26 https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/a4625531-3e11-4a12-95c6-7a383baacc6a

Authority page

57

Authority publication

Ceylon Journal of Science

Cercopithecus latibarbatus

(É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1812)

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

latibarbatus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

MNHN-ZM-2005-938

Type kind

syntypes

Type specimen URI

http://coldb.mnhn.fr/catalognumber/mnhn/zm/2005-938

Authority page

94

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/3499288

Authority publication

Annales du Muséum d'histoire naturelle

Name usages

  1. Lesson (1827:35, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207467) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36839)
  2. Groves (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8549)

Semno-Pithecus fulvo-griseus

Desmoulins, 1825

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

fulvogriseus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

MNHN-ZM-2005-959

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

http://coldb.mnhn.fr/catalognumber/mnhn/zm/2005-959

Authority page

570

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25682632

Authority publication

Dictionnaire Classique d'Histoire Naturelle

Name usages

Groves (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8549)

Presbytis ursinus

(E. Blyth, 1851)

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

ursinus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

ZSI 11891

Type kind

syntypes

Authority page

155

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/40259741

Authority publication

Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal

Name usages

  1. Blyth (1863:13, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/47534727) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/37155)
  2. Groves (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8549)

Presbytes albinus

(Kelaart, 1852)

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

albinus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

7

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/52257284

Authority publication

London

Name usages

  1. Kelaart (1852:7, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/52257284) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/38608)
  2. Groves (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8549)

Semnopithecus kelaartii

Schlegel, 1876

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

kelaartii

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type kind

holotype

Authority page

52

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14895117

Authority publication

Leiden

Simia latibarba

(Temminck, 1807)

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

latibarbus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

3

Authority publication

Amsterdam

Name usages

Groves (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8549)

Semnopithecus leucoprymnus

Lesson, 1842

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

leucoprymnus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

3

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

Lesson (1842:3) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36812)

Presbytis cephalopterus

(E. L. Layard, 1851)

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

cephalopterus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

405

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/13788005

Authority publication

Annals and Magazine of Natural History

Name usages

  1. Layard (1851:405, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/13788005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67277)
  2. Blyth (1863:13, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/47534727) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/37155)

Presbytes cephalopterus

(Kelaart, 1852)

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

cephalopterus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

155

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/59278675

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London

Name usages

  1. Kelaart (1852:155, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/59278675) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67270)
  2. Kelaart (1852:1, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/52257328) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/38608)
  3. Kelaart (1890:316) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/60533)

Presbytes ursinus

(Kelaart, 1852)

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

ursinus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

2

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/52257289

Authority publication

London

Name usages

Kelaart (1852:2, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/52257289) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/38608)

Presbytis vetulus

(Corbet & J. Edwards Hill, 1980)

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

vetulus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

90

Authority publication

London

Name usages

Corbet & Hill (1980:90) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63069)

Presbytis senex

(Honacki, Kinman, & Koeppl, 1982)

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

senex

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

240

Authority publication

Lawrence

Name usages

Honacki, Kinman & Koeppl (1982:240) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63071)

kelaarti

(Groves, 2005)

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

kelaarti

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

incorrectsubsequentspelling

Authority page

178

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

Groves (2005:178) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8549)

Trachypithecus vetulus monticola

(Groves, 2005)

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

monticola

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

Groves (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8549)

Trachypithecus vetulus nestor

(Groves, 2005)

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

nestor

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

Groves (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8549)

Trachypithecus vetulus philbricki

(Groves, 2005)

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

philbricki

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

Groves (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8549)

Trachypithecus vetulus

(Groves, 2005)

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

vetulus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

Groves (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8549)

Trachypithecus vetulus vetulus

(Groves, 2005)

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

vetulus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

Groves (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8549)

Semnopithecus vetulus

Mittermeier, Rylands, & D. E. Wilson, 2013

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

vetulus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

737

Authority publication

Barcelona

Name usages

  1. Mittermeier, Rylands & Wilson (2013:737) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/59513)
  2. Mammal Diversity Database (2018:ID #400000440) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67336)
  3. Mammal Diversity Database (2019:ID #400000440) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67337)
  4. Mammal Diversity Database (2024, https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1000694) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67250)
  5. International Union for the Conservation of Nature (2024, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22042/17959452) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67246)

Cercopithecus Senex

(Erxleben, 1777)

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

senex

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

24

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15872821

Authority publication

Leipzig

Name usages

  1. Erxleben (1777:24, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15872821) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36060)
  2. Groves (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8549)

Cercopithecus Vetulus

(Erxleben, 1777)

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

vetulus

Validity status

species

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

25

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15872822

Authority publication

Leipzig

Name usages

  1. Erxleben (1777:25, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15872822) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36060)
  2. Groves (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8549)

Cercopithecus (Kephalopterus)

(E. A. W. von Zimmermann, 1780)

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

kephalopterus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

185

Authority publication

Leipzig

Name usages

Groves (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8549)

Simia Cephalopterus

(P. Boddaert, 1785)

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

cephalopterus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

preoccupied

Authority page

58

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/28230022

Authority publication

Rotterdam

Name usages

  1. Goldfuss (1809:63, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/47497897) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/34654)
  2. Groves (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8549)

Simia Cercopithecus silenus purpuratus

(Kerr, 1792)

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

purpuratus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

65

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/38664083

Authority publication

Edinburgh

Name usages

Groves (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8549)

Simia Porphyrops

(Link, 1795)

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

porphyrops

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

62

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/46272938

Authority publication

Rostock

Name usages

Groves (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8549)

Simia Veter

(G. K. Shaw, 1800)

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

veter

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

preoccupied

Authority page

36

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/41150671

Authority publication

London

Name usages

Groves (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8549)

Simia latibarbata

(Temminck in É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1812)

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

latibarbata

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

notusedas_valid

Authority page

94

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/3499288

Authority publication

Annales du Muséum d'histoire naturelle

Cercopithecus (?) leucoprymnus

(Otto, 1825)

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

leucoprymnus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

cover

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/37005913

Authority publication

Nova Acta Physico-Medica Academiae Caesareae Leopoldino-Carolinae Naturae Curiosorum

Name usages

  1. Lesson (1827:35, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54207467) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36839)
  2. Groves (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8549)

Presbytes Cephalopterus, var. b. Monticola

(Kelaart, 1850)

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

monticola

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

207

Authority publication

Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society

Name usages

Kelaart (1890:316) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/60533)

Presbytis senex harti

(Deraniyagala, 1955)

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

harti

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Authority page

293-294

Authority publication

Spolia Zeylanica

Name usages

Groves (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8549)

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