Monkey in the world: black and white monkeys' points together

Long -priests are close relatives of human beings. The most familiar princes that everyone are familiar with may be monkeys, and the types of monkeys are tens of millions. Today I want to introduce to you the "one black and one white" of white -headed monkeys and black leaf monkeys. enemy".

The mystery of Darwin of white -headed monkey and black leaf monkeys

White -headed lobe monkeys and black leaf monkeys are Chinese endangered spiritual animals, and the number of populations is less than 2000. Among them, white -headed monkey is a long -lasting spiritual animal in China, which is only distributed in Chongzuo, Guangxi. The distribution of black leaf monkeys is slightly widely distributed. It is common in Guizhou, Chongqing, Guangxi, and foreign countries are common in Vietnam and other places.

The distribution of white -headed monkeys and black leaf monkeys (provided by Zhao Xumao)

In Guangxi, white -headed monkeys and black leaf monkeys are across the river, and the two are the same as the root. The difference lies in the white head of the white -headed monkey head, like a white hat.

White -headed monkey (picture source: Huang Chengming provided)

In addition to the color of the head, the difference between white -headed monkeys and black leaf monkeys is also reflected in behavioral habits and habitat selection.

Studies have shown that the foods of black leaf monkeys and white -headed monkeys are dominated by leaves, especially those who love tender leaves, and fruit and seeds only occupy a small part of food composition. In the dry season, black leaf monkeys will increase the feeding of mature leaves and seeds. Although white -headed lobe monkeys love to eat a lot of young leaves every month, they will also increase the types of planting plants when the dry season comes.

White -headed monkey (provided by Li Ming)

White -headed monkeys and black leaf monkeys are the same as the same roots, but now the classified scholars define white -headed lobe monkeys and black leaf monkeys as two different species. So what causes the two to separate?

The formation of species has always been called Darwin's mystery, attracting countless experts in the field of chemistry and protecting biology. The Zhao Xumao team of the School of Ecology of Lanzhou University and the Institute of Animal Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences combined with the evidence of molecular biology and species distribution model evidence to reshape the appropriate distribution range and effective population changes of white -headed leaf monkeys and black leaf monkeys since the last ice period. , Crack their mystery.

According to the evidence of the genome, white -headed monkeys and black leaf monkeys completed differentiation 290,000 years ago. After differentiation, they still cut off the silk and have genetic communication.

From the perspective of the genetic communication between the two, since the separation of 290,000 years ago, the white -headed monkey and the black leaf monkey can still "marry each other" for a long time. The second genetic exchanges appeared in the last ice period (140,000 years ago), until 12,000 years (the last ice period), and they can still marry between their groups and have not completely separated.

What are the division of black and white monkeys?

Black and white monkeys have maintained a state of splitting together for tens of thousands of years. So what causes the division of them?

Based on the evaluation of the species distribution model, after the separation of white -headed monkeys from black leaf monkeys was separated from 290,000 years ago, because the earth's climate was warm and humid at that time, the suitable habitat of black leaf monkeys and white -headed monkeys could be connected together, and their population population was sufficient enough Big, so there are many opportunities for "communication".

However, there are unexpected situations, and "monkeys" have a blessing. The good times did not last long. After the white -headed monkey and the black leaf monkey were divided into the ancient villagers (the second Ice period). Under the influence of the ice period, white -headed monkeys and black leaf monkeys lost the opportunity to communicate with genes. The two parted ways and began to adapt to the evolution of adaptiveness.

140,000 years ago, the earth entered the ice period, the climate was warm, and the suitable habitat of white -headed leaf monkeys and black leaf monkeys was connected again. At the same time, the number of populations of the two also showed an upward trend. Therefore, it was possible to communicate again. Burning ".

However, the arrival of the last ice period (2.1-12,000 years ago) was "stick-up" and interrupted their broken silk (gene exchange). During the last ice period, the suitable habitat of black leaf monkeys and white -headed monkeys separated.

In addition, the cold environment is a serious challenge for the survival of species, and species have begun to reduce staff. Based on the molecular clock, the population of white -headed monkeys and black leaf monkeys has been greatly reduced during the last ice period. The remaining population inhabits the mountain shelter, forming a solitary island.

Not only that, as the "stormy waves" of nature are becoming more and more violent, the number of suitable habitats of "island" gradually decreases, and population groups have decreased. So the white -headed monkey and black leaf monkeys were isolated, and they lost their exchanges again.

The effective population changes in white -headed monkeys and black leaf monkeys. The green line represents the white -headed monkey, the blue line represents black leaf monkeys, and (A) and (B) represent two different algorithms. (Provided by Zhao Xumao)

After the last victory period, the cold had gone, the earth returned to spring, the climate began to have a new impact on species distribution, and re -giving the white -headed monkey and black leaf monkey exchange opportunities. However, more than 6,000 years ago, human activities were increasing, which changed the original appearance of the earth. The "island" still did not connect to the "mainland", which made them lose the chance of final communication.

In this way, the opportunity to break the mirror again was broken by human activities, resulting in the distribution pattern of white -headed monkeys and black leaf monkeys today. The black leaf monkeys are isolated in the "islands". Although the distribution area is wide, they are isolated and unable to connect. The white -headed monkey was isolated by the Zuojiang and Mingjiang River in Guangxi, and it was unable to communicate with the black leaf monkey like a cowboy and weaver.

At this point, under the double -layer pressure of climate change and human activities, black leaf monkeys and white -headed monkeys have completely differentiated and become independent species.

Then there is a question next, since they become independent species, can they hybridize if they are put together?

In fact, there is no problem with the hybridization between them, after all, the separation of each other is not so long. However, this situation cannot be completed in nature, because geographical blocking and small changes in behavior make them reproductive isolation. Black and white monkey that protects endangered

"Between the islands, the pulse is not allowed." The broken habitat is like a lonely island, which not only causes a suitable decrease in habitats, but also affects the migration, diffusion and groups of species. Different subspecies living on the "island" have a unique group genetic structure. Some of them are facing greater risk of extinction than the entire population. Genetic diversity is constantly discrete.

In addition, the reason for the sharp decline in the number of black and white monkey population is also the influence of human activities, especially the illegal hormonal hunting and destroying habitats in the last century. The poacher coveted the huge profits brought by the organizational structure of their fur, bones, etc., and sold them to the zoo and other institutions to make commercial profits.

At present, the International Nature Conservation Alliance (IUCN) has appointed black leaf monkeys and white -headed monkeys as endangered (EN) and extremely endangered (CR) grade (Mittermeier et al., 2013). In order to save these cute natural spirit, we should protect them with practical actions:

First, strict law enforcement to prevent illegal hunting, and support the protective umbrella of the rule of law for the reproduction of the black and white monkey population.

Second, through publicity and education, people are aware of the significance of habitat protection to saving these rare and endangered species.

Third, the fragmentation of the habitat has caused long categories to deal with humans. Infectious diseases from the human group make the long -term population facing severe survival challenges. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out the research and monitoring of the epidemic disease of stone mountain leaf monkeys and the common diseases of human beasts, and pull a "isolation zone" between spiritual long categories and infectious diseases.

The "emotional entanglement" of black and white monkeys lasted tens of thousands of years, making the two separate more than reunion. For species protection, the separation of black leaf monkeys and white -headed monkeys undoubtedly increases the difficulty of protection. However, for the diversity of species, this is also a good thing, because their separation, the species on the earth are richer.

Produced: Popular Science China

Production: Wei Chang (School of Literature, Lanzhou University, Animal Translation Officer)

Producer: China Science Popularization Expo

Edit: Wang Tingting

references:

Li X, Ru D, Garber PA, Zhou Q, Li M, Zhao X. 2022. Climate change and human activities promoted speciation of two endangered langurs (François' langur and white-headed langur). Global Ecology and Conservation 38 (2022) E02185.

The China Science Popularization Expo is the Science Popular Science Platform of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. It is sponsored by the Computer Network Information Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Relying on the high -end scientific resources of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, it is committed to spreading cutting -edge scientific knowledge and providing fun science and education services.

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