Moloch Gibbon (Hylobates moloch)



MORPHOLOGY:
This species has relatively long forearms which assist it in suspensory behavior. This species has throat sac located beneath the chin to help enhance the calls. The moloch gibbon lacks a tail, caudal vertebrae. The average body mass for an adult male moloch gibbon is between 5 and 6.6 kilograms, and for the female it is between 4.5 and 6.4 kilograms. The pelage color is silver-gray with a black cap for both sexes.

RANGE:
The moloch gibbon is found in the country of Indonesia, on the island of Java. This species is found in secondary and mature tropical rainforests.

ECOLOGY:
The moloch gibbon is a frugivorous species, but will also consume immature leaves and flowers. The moloch gibbon prefers to consume fruits high in sugar. This is an arboreal and a diurnal species. This species sleeps and rests in the emergent trees (Leighton, 1987).

LOCOMOTION:
The moloch gibbon is a true brachiator which means it moves by suspensory behavior (Fleagle, 1988). The brachiation is of a type where the moloch gibbon throws itself from tree to tree over gaps of 10 meters or more using there arms (Fleagle, 1988). This species also climbs when moving slowly and feeding (Fleagle, 1988). This species is also able to move for short distances by bipedalism (Fleagle, 1988).



SOCIAL BEHAVIOR:
The white-handed gibbon has a monogamous mating and social system. The basic group structure is the breeding pair and their offspring. Both males and females emigrate from their natal group around adolescence. This is a territorial species.

VOCAL COMMUNICATION:
duetting: These are vocalizations which occur between the breeding male and female, and is dominated by the female. This vocalization is important because it helps to maintain the pair bond between the breeding pair and also it helps to establish and maintain the territory.

scream: This is given by moloch gibbons in the presence of potential predators, for example humans or leopards; it serves as an alarm call. This is a loud, sharp call.

OLFACTORY COMMUNICATION: VISUAL COMMUNICATION: TACTILE COMMUNICATION: social grooming: This is when one individual grooms another and is used to reinforce the bonds between individuals. REPRODUCTION: The moloch gibbon gives birth to a single offspring.

REFERENCES:
Burton, F. 1995. The Multimedia Guide to the Non-human Primates. Prentice-Hall Canada Inc.

Fleagle, J. G. 1988. Primate Adaptation and Evolution. Academic Press.

Leighton, D.R. 1987. Gibbons: Territoriality and Monogamy. In Primate Societies. eds. B.B. Smuts, D.L. Cheney, R.M. Seyfarth, R.W. Wrangham, and T.T. Struhsaker. University of Chicago Press.

Last Updated: April 21, 2004.
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