Pitheciinae
Encyclopedia
Pitheciinae is a subfamily of the New World monkey
family Pitheciidae
. It contains three genera and 9 species. Pitheciines are forest dwellers from northern and central South America
, east of the Andes
.
They are small to medium sized primate
s, with a stocky build due to their close skin
. The skin is covered in shaggy fur
, its coloring varies depending upon species from black to grey and brown up to white. Parts of the face can be bald. The tail, which is not used for grasping but for balance, is also hairy, although the uakari
's tail is only a stub.
Like most New World monkeys, they are diurnal
and arboreal. They are good climbers and spend the majority of their life in the trees. They live in groups ranging in number from small groups (such as with the saki monkey
s ) to as many as 50 animals. They communicate with a set of sounds which typically includes high cries and a nearly bird-like twitter.
Pitheciines are generally omnivore
s, the main part of their diet coming from fruits and insects. This is supplemented by flowers, buds, nuts and small vertebrates. Large canines help them to break through the hard rind of the unripe fruits.
Births are typically of single offspring with a gestation time of about 5 to 6 months. They typically reach maturity at approximately 3 to 4 years and can become up to 15 years old.
* Newly described species.
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...
family Pitheciidae
Pitheciidae
The Pitheciidae are one of the five families of New World monkeys now recognised. Formerly they were included in the family Atelidae. The family includes the titis, saki monkeys and uakaris...
. It contains three genera and 9 species. Pitheciines are forest dwellers from northern and central South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, east of the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
.
They are small to medium sized primate
Primate
A primate is a mammal of the order Primates , which contains prosimians and simians. Primates arose from ancestors that lived in the trees of tropical forests; many primate characteristics represent adaptations to life in this challenging three-dimensional environment...
s, with a stocky build due to their close skin
Skin
-Dermis:The dermis is the layer of skin beneath the epidermis that consists of connective tissue and cushions the body from stress and strain. The dermis is tightly connected to the epidermis by a basement membrane. It also harbors many Mechanoreceptors that provide the sense of touch and heat...
. The skin is covered in shaggy fur
Fur
Fur is a synonym for hair, used more in reference to non-human animals, usually mammals; particularly those with extensives body hair coverage. The term is sometimes used to refer to the body hair of an animal as a complete coat, also known as the "pelage". Fur is also used to refer to animal...
, its coloring varies depending upon species from black to grey and brown up to white. Parts of the face can be bald. The tail, which is not used for grasping but for balance, is also hairy, although the uakari
Uakari
Uakari is the common name for the New World monkeys of the genus Cacajao. Both the English and scientific names are believed to have originated from indigenous languages....
's tail is only a stub.
Like most New World monkeys, they are diurnal
Diurnal animal
Diurnality is a plant or animal behavior characterized by activity during the day and sleeping at night.-In animals:Animals that are not diurnal might be nocturnal or crepuscular . Many animal species are diurnal, including many mammals, insects, reptiles and birds...
and arboreal. They are good climbers and spend the majority of their life in the trees. They live in groups ranging in number from small groups (such as with the saki monkey
Saki monkey
Sakis, or saki monkeys, are any of several New World monkeys of the genus Pithecia. They are closely related to the bearded sakis of genus Chiropotes.-Range:...
s ) to as many as 50 animals. They communicate with a set of sounds which typically includes high cries and a nearly bird-like twitter.
Pitheciines are generally omnivore
Omnivore
Omnivores are species that eat both plants and animals as their primary food source...
s, the main part of their diet coming from fruits and insects. This is supplemented by flowers, buds, nuts and small vertebrates. Large canines help them to break through the hard rind of the unripe fruits.
Births are typically of single offspring with a gestation time of about 5 to 6 months. They typically reach maturity at approximately 3 to 4 years and can become up to 15 years old.
Classification
- Family PitheciidaePitheciidaeThe Pitheciidae are one of the five families of New World monkeys now recognised. Formerly they were included in the family Atelidae. The family includes the titis, saki monkeys and uakaris...
: titis, sakis and uakaris- Subfamily Pitheciinae
- Genus Pithecia
- White-faced SakiWhite-faced SakiThe white-faced saki , also known as the Guianan saki and the golden-faced saki, is a species of saki monkey, a type of New World monkey, found in Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela, and Timbuktu...
, Pithecia pithecia - Monk SakiMonk SakiThe monk saki, Pithecia monachus, is a species of saki monkey, a type of New World monkey, from South America. It is found in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. It lives in forested areas. It can grow up to be 37–48 cm long and weigh about 1.5-3 kilograms, approximately the same as a large...
, Pithecia monachus - Rio Tapajós SakiRio Tapajós SakiThe Rio Tapajós saki is a species of saki monkey, a type of New World monkey, from South America. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil and Peru....
, Pithecia irrorata - Equatorial SakiEquatorial SakiThe equatorial saki, Pithecia aequatorialis, is a species of saki monkey, a type of New World monkey, from South America. It is found in Ecuador and Peru.-References:...
, Pithecia aequatorialis - White-footed SakiWhite-footed SakiThe white-footed saki is a species of saki monkey, a type of New World monkey, endemic to Brazil....
, Pithecia albicans
- White-faced Saki
- Genus Chiropotes
- Black Bearded SakiBlack Bearded SakiThe 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...
, Chiropotes satanas - Red-backed Bearded SakiRed-backed Bearded SakiThe 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...
, Chiropotes chiropotes - Brown-backed Bearded SakiBrown-backed Bearded SakiThe 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 and southern Venezuela. It is possible the correct scientific name for this species is C...
, Chiropotes israelita - Uta Hick's Bearded SakiUta Hick's Bearded SakiUta 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...
, Chiropotes utahickae - White-nosed SakiWhite-nosed SakiThe white-nosed saki, Chiropotes albinasus, is an endangered species of bearded saki, a type of New World monkey, endemic to the south-central Amazon rainforest in Brazil. Both its scientific and common name were caused by the authors working from specimens, where the skin on and around the nose...
, Chiropotes albinasus
- Black Bearded Saki
- Genus CacajaoUakariUakari is the common name for the New World monkeys of the genus Cacajao. Both the English and scientific names are believed to have originated from indigenous languages....
- Black-headed UakariBlack-headed UakariThe black-headed uakari , also known as the golden-backed black uakari, is a New World primate from the family Pitheciidae...
, Cacajao melanocephalus - Bald UakariBald UakariThe bald uakari or bald-headed uakari is a small New World monkey with a very short tail, red face, a bald head, and long coat...
, Cacajao calvus - Aracá Uakari, Cacajao ayresii*
- Neblina UakariNeblina UakariThe Neblina uakari is a newly described species of monkey from the far northwest Brazilian Amazon and adjacent southern Venezuela. It was found by Jean-Phillipe Boubli of the University of Auckland and described together with the more easternly distributed Aracá Uakari in 2008...
, Cacajao hosomi*
- Black-headed Uakari
- Genus Pithecia
- Subfamily Callicebinae
- Subfamily Pitheciinae