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Colobus guereza

Colobus guereza

9.9
A large black and white monkey from East Africa with long white side hair and a bushy white tail
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Colobus guereza
  • The Colobus guereza is easily recognized by its striking black and white fur.

Examples

  • We spotted a group of Colobus guereza monkeys leaping through the trees in Kenya.

  • Unlike some other monkeys, the Colobus guereza lacks a thumb on its hands.

  • The Colobus guereza is often seen in the forests of Uganda.

  • Many tourists visit Kenya to see the Colobus guereza in its natural habitat.

  • The Colobus guereza is easily recognized by its striking black and white fur.

  • We spotted a group of Colobus guereza monkeys leaping through the trees in Kenya.

  • Many tourists visit Kenya to see the Colobus guereza in its natural habitat.

Synonyms

colobus monkey
vsColobus guereza
  • South African
1 7.0

A monkey that lives in trees in Africa with long silky fur and small or no thumbs

is narrower naming one East African black and white species specifically
guereza
vsColobus guereza
  • South African
9.9

A large African monkey with black fur, white hair on its sides, and a bushy white tail

is the Latin binomial form rather than the shorter common name

Surface Forms

Morphology

Colobus + guereza

This is a scientific binomial combining the genus name 'Colobus' with the species epithet 'guereza', so the referent—a particular type of colobus monkey—is directly derivable from the constituents. Taxonomic naming is compositional and cross-linguistically regular, with no idiomatic or metaphorical shift, so a learner who knows both parts will understand it denotes a specific colobus monkey.

Etymology

Colobus guereza may come from an old word meaning 'cut off' because the colobus monkey has no thumb and its hand can look like it is cut. The second part, guereza, is a local East African name, so the full name helps you picture the black-and-white monkey with long white fringes and 'no thumb'.