Colobus fossil map
Where fossils of Colobus have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 0 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 0 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Early mammals |
|---|---|
| Lived | 11.63–0.0117 million years ago (Tortonian to Late Pleistocene) |
| Periods | Neogene, Quaternary |
| Family | Cercopithecidae |
| Named by | Illiger 1811 |
| Fossil records | 22 occurrences at 10 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Kenya, Ethiopia, Algeria |
| Rock formations | Koobi Fora, Wehaietu, Kapthurin, txn:40860 |
About Colobus
The genus Colobus comprises the black-and-white colobus monkeys. It is a genus of Old World monkey native to Africa. The genus is closely related to the red colobus monkeys of genus Piliocolobus. There are six species assigned to this genus, and at least eight subspecies. They are generally found in high-density forests where they forage on leaves, flowers and fruit. Social groups of colobus are diverse, varying from group to group. Resident-egalitarian and allomothering relationships have been observed among the female population. Complex behaviours have also been observed in this species, including greeting rituals and varying group sleeping patterns. Colobi play a significant role in seed dispersal.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Colobus (revision 1377995707), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q358813.
