Theropithecus gelada

(Rüppell, 1835)

Gelada

Copulating pair. Also as Gelada Baboon.
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Location:USA, CA, Los Angeles Co., Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical GardensDate taken:Jan 1, 1986Description:Copulating pair. Also as Gelada Baboon.

Distribution :

N Ethiopia, highlands

Image courtesy of the ASM Mammal Images Library · MIL ID: 917

Taxonomy

Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Placentalia
Magnorder: Boreoeutheria
Superorder: Euarchontoglires
Order: Primates
Suborder: Haplorhini
Infraorder: Simiiformes
Parvorder: Catarrhini
Superfamily: Cercopithecoidea
Family: Cercopithecidae
Subfamily: Cercopithecinae
Tribe: Papionini
Genus: Theropithecus
Subgenus: Theropithecus

Species status

Living
Found in the wild
Listed in MSW3 2005

Authority citation

Rüppell, E. 1835. Lieferung 1. Pp. 1–16 in Rüppell, E. 1835-1840. Neue Wirbelthiere zu der Fauna von Abyssinien gehörig. Säugethiere. Siegmund Schmerber, Frankfurt am Main, 40 pp.

Authority publication link

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/37140063

Original name as described

Macacus gelada

Other common names

Gelada Baboon · Northern Gelada · Southern Gelada

Type material

SMF:MAMM:1011

Type kind

lectotype

Type locality

Ethiopia, Haremat, Semyen, and Gojjam.

Biogeographic realm

Afrotropic

Country distribution

Ethiopia

Taxonomy notes citation

Mercuri, G., Caldon, M., Mutti, G., Imai, H., Yan, X.-c., Shotake, T., Belay, G., Gippoliti, S. and Capelli, C. 2026. Gelada (Theropithecus gelada) genomic diversity sheds light on the biogeography of an endemic species of the Ethiopian highlands. International Journal of Primatology 47(2):545-574. doi:10.1007/s10764-026-00556-z

IUCN Red List status

Least Concern

Species Permalink

https://mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1000635

Country distribution map

The map below provides a general overview. Most species inhabit only specific regions within countries. Hover over the highlighted regions to see the country name.

Names and synonyms

Present and past (if available) associated names to the species. Click on a name to view its details.

Total: 12 names and synonyms.

Macacus gelada

Rüppell, 1835

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

gelada

Validity status

species

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

SMF:MAMM:1011

Type kind

lectotype

Original type locality

in den gebirgigen Distrikten von Haremat, Simen und bei Axum, welche Gegenden sämmtlich 7 bis 8000 Fuss über die Meeresfläche erhoben sind.

Type locality

Ethiopia.

Authority page

5

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/37140063

Authority publication

Frankfurt am Main

Name usages

Anonymous (1835:282, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/13702503) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/68892)
Schlegel (1876:107, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14895172) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67480)

Papio gelada:

Lesson, 1842

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

gelada

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

6

Authority publication

Paris

Name usages

Lesson (1842:6) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36812)

Theropithecus Gelada:

I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1843

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

gelada

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

576

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25101307

Authority publication

Archives du Muséum d'histoire naturelle

Name usages

Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (1843:576, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25101307) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67144)
Heuglin (1877:6, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/36876411) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/66584)
Flower & Lydekker (1891:722, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/46965937) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/34115)
Trouessart (1904:16, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/53422861) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/59289)
Elliot (1913:lvi, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/40602350) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/35489)
Allen (1939:162, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2782713) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/5450)
Szalay & Delson (1979:374) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/14515)
Corbet & Hill (1980:88) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63069)
Honacki, Kinman & Koeppl (1982:241) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63071)
Corbet & Hill (1991:98) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/63070)
Groves (1993:269) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/69008)
Yalden, Largen, Kock & Hillman (1996:94) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/36072)
Grubb, Butynski, Oates, Bearder, Disotell, Groves & Struhsaker (2003:1327) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/4919)
Groves (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8549)
Xing, Wang, Han, Ray, Huang, Chemnick, Stewart, Disotell, Ryder & Batzer (2005:875) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/4822)
Mittermeier, Rylands & Wilson (2013:665) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/59513)
Butynski, Kingdon & Kalina (2013:240) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/37955)
Mammal Diversity Database (2018:ID #21744) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67336)
Mammal Diversity Database (2019:ID #21744) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67337)
Reda, Frost, Simons, Quade & Simpson (2024:7) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/68095)
Mammal Diversity Database (2024, https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1000635) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67250)
International Union for the Conservation of Nature (2024, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/21744/217754712) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67246)

Gelada Ruppellii

J. E. Gray, 1843

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

ruppellii

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

nomen_novum

Type

SMF:MAMM:1011

Type kind

lectotype

Original type locality

in den gebirgigen Distrikten von Haremat, Simen und bei Axum, welche Gegenden sämmtlich 7 bis 8000 Fuss über die Meeresfläche erhoben sind.

Type locality

Ethiopia.

Authority page

9

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/53729576

Authority publication

British Museum Catalogue

Name usages

Gray (1871:33, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/9994527) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/21655)

Theropithecus senex

Pucheran, 1857

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

senex

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

MNHN-ZM-MO-1853-436 (= MNHN:type:54) (= MNHN "299") (= MNHN "389")

Type kind

holotype

Original type locality

Abyssinie

Type locality

Ethiopia.

Type specimen URI

http://coldb.mnhn.fr/catalognumber/mnhn/zm/mo-1853-436

Authority page

243

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/13712379

Authority publication

Revue et Magasin de Zoologie pure et appliquée

Name usages

Heuglin (1877:6, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/36876411) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/66584)
Groves (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8549)

Theropithecus obscurus

von Heuglin, 1863

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

obscurus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

RMNH.MAM.39130, RMNH.MAM.39131, RMNH.MAM.39132, RMNH.MAM.39133, RMNH.MAM.39134, SMNS 581, SMNS 1032, SMNS 1033, SMNS 1034

Type kind

syntypes

Original type locality

Wir trafen den Tokur-Sindjero auf der Reise von Begemeder nach dem Lande der Wollo-Galla, nicht selten in grossen Rudeln an den Gehängen des Djidda und Bäschlo und ihrer Zuflüsse

Type locality

Ethiopia.

Type specimen URI

https://data.biodiversitydata.nl/naturalis/specimen/RMNH.MAM.39130 https://data.biodiversitydata.nl/naturalis/specimen/RMNH.MAM.39131.a https://data.biodiversitydata.nl/naturalis/specimen/RMNH.MAM.39131.b https://data.biodiversitydata.nl/naturalis/specimen/RMNH.MAM.39132.a https://data.biodiversitydata.nl/naturalis/specimen/RMNH.MAM.39132.b https://data.biodiversitydata.nl/naturalis/specimen/RMNH.MAM.39133.a https://data.biodiversitydata.nl/naturalis/specimen/RMNH.MAM.39133.b https://data.biodiversitydata.nl/naturalis/specimen/RMNH.MAM.39134.a https://data.biodiversitydata.nl/naturalis/specimen/RMNH.MAM.39134.b

Authority page

10

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/45496796

Authority publication

Nova Acta Academiae Caesarea Leopoldino-Carolinae Germanicae Naturae Curiosorum

Name usages

Heuglin (1863:10, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/45496796) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67102)
Flower & Lydekker (1891:722, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/46965937) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/34115)
Trouessart (1904:16, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/53422861) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/59289)
Elliot (1913:lvi, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/40602350) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/35489)

Cynocephalus Gelada:

A. Murray, 1866

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

gelada

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

321

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15580317

Authority publication

London

Name usages

Murray (1866:321, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15580317) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39798)

Macacus obscurus:

Schlegel, 1876

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

obscurus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

107

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14895172

Authority publication

Muséum d'histoire naturelle des Pays-Bas

Name usages

Schlegel (1876:107, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14895172) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/67480)

Theropithecus gelada gelada:

Grubb, Butynski, Oates, Bearder, Disotell, Groves, & Struhsaker, 2003

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

gelada

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

1327

Authority publication

International Journal of Primatology

Name usages

Grubb, Butynski, Oates, Bearder, Disotell, Groves & Struhsaker (2003:1327) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/4919)
Groves (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8549)

Theropithecus gelada obscurus:

Grubb, Butynski, Oates, Bearder, Disotell, Groves, & Struhsaker, 2003

Family

Cercopithecidae

Root name

obscurus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

1327

Authority publication

International Journal of Primatology

Name usages

Grubb, Butynski, Oates, Bearder, Disotell, Groves & Struhsaker (2003:1327) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/4919)
Groves (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8549)

2 more names and synonyms available — use the desktop version to see them all.

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