On the problem of craniological differentiation in two species of the green monkeys: Chlorocebus pygerythrus and C. aethiops (Cercopithecidae, Primates)

Abstract

The problem of taxonomic differentiation in the order Primates is one of the important problems of evolutionary anthropology and primatology. The systematics of primates reflects their evolutionary relationships and allows to reconstruct the possible ways of formation of particular groups. Clarification of primate taxonomy involves a wide range of data, primarily from the field of morphology. Among the morphological features that distinguish particular taxa, the special role belongs to the system of craniological characters, which allow diagnosing the skulls in museum collections or fossil materials. The article is devoted to craniological identification of two species of the genus Chlorocebus: Chlorocebus pygerythrus (vervets) and Chlorocebus aethiops (grivets).