Alouatta derives from the French alouate, which means “in a loud voice,” a word that originates from Indigenous Caribbean languages. Senex [L] means “old,” and culus [L] is a diminutive suffix meaning “little old man,” referring to its appearance (Tirira, 2004).
Order: Primates | Family: Ateliade
Science name: Alouatta seniculus
Common name: Mono aullador rojo, aullador
Conservation status: Least concern (LC)
Best season for Colombian red howler: All year round
Description
It has a large size. The body presents a dark reddish color, with a lighter back and flanks. The head is proportionately large, with a bare face. The hairs on the crown run completely forward, meeting the hairs on the forehead directed backward in a concave “V” shape. The face is black. The throat appears inflated, a more noticeable characteristic in males due to the exaggerated growth of the hyoid bone, which serves as a resonance chamber for the loud vocalizations it emits. Large whiskers project forward from the chin. The shoulders are robust, and the legs are small and slender. The tail is thick and prehensile. Overall, males are much larger than females and often have blackish
Distribution
Exclusive to South America, it is found east of the Andes in Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad, the Guianas, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. In Brazil, it is located north of the Amazon River and west of the Purús River (Emmons and Feer, 1999). In Colombia, it is found in the eastern plains region in the departments of Casanare, Meta, Arauca, Vichada, and Amazonas.
Distribution
They are diurnal and arboreal species. They can form groups of three to seven individuals, consisting of a dominant adult male and his harem of two or more females and their offspring. It is common to find solitary adult males. The species’ characteristic loud calls can be heard from over a kilometer away and serve to announce the presence of a group to neighboring groups of the same species, and especially to defend the harem.
