Brown-backed Bearded Saki
Encyclopedia
The Brown-backed bearded saki, Chiropotes israelita, is a species of bearded saki
, a type of New World monkey
. It is endemic to the Amazon
in north-western Brazil
(north of the Rio Negro and west of the Branco River
) and southern Venezuela
. It is possible the correct scientific name for this species is C. chiropotes, in which case the more easternly Red-backed Bearded Saki
would be named C. sagulatus.
(or taxonomically insignificant variations) of C. satanas
. Based on molecular and morphological
evidence, C. utahickae
, C. chiropotes
and C. sagulatus were split from C. satanas in 2002. C. chiropotes and C. sagulatus were the only members of the genus found north of the Amazon River
, with the former west of the Branco River
(a major zoogeographic barrier) and the latter east. Supporting evidence for the basic split into four species of dark-nosed bearded sakis was published in 2003, though with one significant difference compared to the earlier study: They treated the population east of the Branco River as C. chiropotes (C. sagulatus in the 2002 study) and west of the river as C. israelita (C. chiropotes in the 2002 study). The taxonomy proposed in 2003 was followed in Mammal Species of the World
in 2005. In the study in 2003, a direct comparison of C. israelita and the type specimen of C. chiropotes was not included, but it is assumed that bearded sakis in Venezuela are C. israelita, while C. chiropotes is not present in that country, thereby matching what would be expected from a species pair separated by the Branco River. This is potentially problematic, as the type specimen of C. chiropotes is from Venezuela, which could leave israelita as a junior synonym of C. chiropotes, thereby matching the taxonomy proposed in 2002. Due to this confusion, neither C. sagulatus nor C. israelita were recognized by the IUCN in 2008, which maintained all bearded sakis north of the Amazon River as C. chiropotes. However, regardless of the uncertainties over exactly what population the specific name chiropotes belongs to, it is clear that there are two distinct populations of bearded sakis north of the Amazon River: A reddish-backed from the Branco River and eastward, and a brown-backed from the Branco River and westward.
Bearded saki
The bearded sakis are five species of New World monkeys, classified in the genus Chiropotes. They live in the eastern and central Amazon in South America, ranging through southern Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana and northern and central Brazil...
, a type of New World monkey
New World monkey
New World monkeys are the five families of primates that are found in Central and South America: Callitrichidae, Cebidae, Aotidae, Pitheciidae, and Atelidae. The five families are ranked together as the Platyrrhini parvorder and the Ceboidea superfamily, which are essentially synonymous since...
. It is endemic to the Amazon
Amazon Basin
The Amazon Basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries that drains an area of about , or roughly 40 percent of South America. The basin is located in the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela...
in north-western Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
(north of the Rio Negro and west of the Branco River
Branco River
The Rio Branco is the principal affluent of the Rio Negro from the north; it is enriched by many streams from the sierras which separate Venezuela and Guyana from Brazil. Its two upper main tributaries are the Urariquira and the Takutu...
) and southern Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
. It is possible the correct scientific name for this species is C. chiropotes, in which case the more easternly Red-backed Bearded Saki
Red-backed Bearded Saki
The Red-backed bearded saki, Chiropotes chiropotes, is a species of bearded saki, a type of New World monkey, from South America. It is found north of the Amazon River and east of the Branco River in Brazil and the Guianas. It is possible the scientific name C...
would be named C. sagulatus.
Taxonomy
Previously, this and all other dark-nosed bearded sakis were included as subspeciesSubspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
(or taxonomically insignificant variations) of C. satanas
Black Bearded Saki
The Black bearded saki is a species of bearded saki, a type of New World monkey. This critically endangered species is endemic to the far eastern Amazon in Brazil, it being restricted to a relatively small region from the Tocantins River in Pará east to around the Grajaú River in Maranhão...
. Based on molecular and morphological
Morphology (biology)
In biology, morphology is a branch of bioscience dealing with the study of the form and structure of organisms and their specific structural features....
evidence, C. utahickae
Uta Hick's Bearded Saki
Uta Hick's bearded saki, Chiropotes utahicki, is an endangered species of bearded saki, a type of New World monkey. It is endemic to Brazil, where restricted to the Amazon between the Xingu and Tocantins Rivers. It was formerly treated as a subspecies of the more easternly C. satanas, but its back...
, C. chiropotes
Red-backed Bearded Saki
The Red-backed bearded saki, Chiropotes chiropotes, is a species of bearded saki, a type of New World monkey, from South America. It is found north of the Amazon River and east of the Branco River in Brazil and the Guianas. It is possible the scientific name C...
and C. sagulatus were split from C. satanas in 2002. C. chiropotes and C. sagulatus were the only members of the genus found north of the Amazon River
Amazon River
The Amazon of South America is the second longest river in the world and by far the largest by waterflow with an average discharge greater than the next seven largest rivers combined...
, with the former west of the Branco River
Branco River
The Rio Branco is the principal affluent of the Rio Negro from the north; it is enriched by many streams from the sierras which separate Venezuela and Guyana from Brazil. Its two upper main tributaries are the Urariquira and the Takutu...
(a major zoogeographic barrier) and the latter east. Supporting evidence for the basic split into four species of dark-nosed bearded sakis was published in 2003, though with one significant difference compared to the earlier study: They treated the population east of the Branco River as C. chiropotes (C. sagulatus in the 2002 study) and west of the river as C. israelita (C. chiropotes in the 2002 study). The taxonomy proposed in 2003 was followed in Mammal Species of the World
Mammal Species of the World
Mammal Species of the World, now in its 3rd edition, is a standard reference work in zoology giving descriptions and bibliographic data for the known species of mammals.An updated Third Edition of Mammal Species of the World was published late in 2005:...
in 2005. In the study in 2003, a direct comparison of C. israelita and the type specimen of C. chiropotes was not included, but it is assumed that bearded sakis in Venezuela are C. israelita, while C. chiropotes is not present in that country, thereby matching what would be expected from a species pair separated by the Branco River. This is potentially problematic, as the type specimen of C. chiropotes is from Venezuela, which could leave israelita as a junior synonym of C. chiropotes, thereby matching the taxonomy proposed in 2002. Due to this confusion, neither C. sagulatus nor C. israelita were recognized by the IUCN in 2008, which maintained all bearded sakis north of the Amazon River as C. chiropotes. However, regardless of the uncertainties over exactly what population the specific name chiropotes belongs to, it is clear that there are two distinct populations of bearded sakis north of the Amazon River: A reddish-backed from the Branco River and eastward, and a brown-backed from the Branco River and westward.