Range:

Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina

Habitat:

Primary dry deciduous, and broadleaf forests

Characteristics:

Adult males are all black. Adult females are golden light to dark yellow. The tail is prehensile.

 

Behavior:

Diurnal and arboreal. Black-and-gold howlers may come to the ground to drink from ponds. They also drink water from arboreal sources by wetting and then licking their hands. They drink more water when there is a lack of young leaves. Allogrooming is seen mostly between adult females and immatures. A dominant male is groomed by the adult female.

Reproduction:

Tongue flicking is a ritualized display of sexual solicitation. It is especially distinctive in this species because the tongues are pink, bordered with black. Usually only one offspring is born. Both genders are the same color until the male turns black at about 2 1/2 years old.