What is the scientific name of the golden snub-nosed monkey?

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What is the scientific name of the golden snub-nosed monkey? The answer is Rhinopithecus roxellana.

Rhinopithecus roxellana is an Old World monkey in the colobine subfamily. It is also called the Sichuan snub-nosed monkey or Sichuan golden hair monkey. The species is endemic to mountainous temperate forests in central and southwestern China, where it can withstand colder conditions than most other non-human primates.

Its range includes parts of Sichuan, Gansu, Shaanxi, and Hubei, generally at elevations from about 1,500 to 3,400 metres. The golden coat and upturned, hairless nose make it distinctive, while its seasonal diet includes leaves, bark, buds, fruits, and lichens. It spends most of its time in trees but may also forage on the ground.

A common mix-up is Nasalis larvatus, the scientific name of the proboscis monkey, another Asian colobine with a prominent nose. Macaca mulatta is the rhesus macaque, and Cebus capucinus is the white-headed capuchin, a New World monkey. Rhinopithecus roxellana is endangered because habitat loss has fragmented its mountain-forest range.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026

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