Nomascus
Nomascus is the second-most speciose genus of the gibbon family, Hylobatidae. Originally, this genus was a subgenus of Hylobates, with all individuals considered to be one species, H. concolor.
Species within Nomascus are characterized by 52 chromosomes. Some species are all-black, some are a lighter beige or peach hue, with a distinct black tuft of crown fur, while others have notable, light-colored cheek “patches”. Nomascus is endemic from southern China to southern Vietnam, and can also be found on Hainan. Every species within this genus are either endangered or critically endangered; the Eastern black crested gibbon has been deemed "the most-critically endangered ape species in the world".
Extant species
Extinct species
- Imperial gibbon, ''Nomascus imperialis''
Classification
- Family Hylobatidae: gibbons
- * Genus Hylobates
- * Genus Hoolock
- * Genus Symphalangus
- * Genus Nomascus
- ** Black crested gibbon, Nomascus concolor
- *** Tonkin black crested gibbon, Nomascus concolor concolor
- *** Laotian black crested gibbon, Nomascus concolor lu
- *** Central Yunnan black crested gibbon, Nomascus concolor jingdongensis
- *** West Yunnan black crested gibbon, Nomascus concolor furvogaster
- ** Eastern black crested gibbon, Nomascus nasutus
- ** Hainan black crested gibbon, Nomascus hainanus
- ** †Imperial gibbon, Nomascus imperialis
- ** Northern white-cheeked gibbon, Nomascus leucogenys
- ** Southern white-cheeked gibbon, Nomascus siki
- ** Yellow-cheeked gibbon, Nomascus gabriellae
- ** Northern buffed-cheeked gibbon, ''Nomascus annamensis''