35 mm slide; color. Scientific Classification: Kingdom: Animalia; Phylum: Chordata; Class: Mammalia; Order: Primates; Family: Cercopithecidae; Genus: Ceropithecus; Genus species: Cercopithecus aethiops. Animal characteristics: Head-Body Length: 40-80 cm; Weight: Males 4-8 kg, females 3-5.5 kg; Identification: Vervet monkeys have black faces, white whiskers, and a gray to yellow coat. Males have a blue-green hue; Habitat: Savannas, edges of woodlands; Diet: Omnivore: leaves, shoots, fruit, flowers, seeds, bark, insects, spiders, lizards, eggs, birds; Reproduction: Vervet monkeys mate throughout the year. The female gestates for 174-203 days and then gives birth to a single infant. The baby clings to its mother for its first 3-4 weeks, but then slowly begins to explore. Weaning occurs when the infant is six months old; Social Structure: Troops are comprised of an old male, several females, and young of various ages; Behavior: Although they are primarily arboreal, vervet monkeys will occasionally travel on the ground; Status: No special status; Interesting Facts: The vervet monkey is the most widely distributed monkey in Africa; it is only absent from desert, high forests, and open grasslands.