Primates are a group of animals that have always kept people's attention, because they are our closest relatives in the evolutionary scale. Among the various species that exist, many are distinguished by shared traits with humans, among which their complex social structure stands out. More than half of the species are in a risk category, due to human actions. In this article on our site, we want to present you with information about a type of primate, commonly known as a spider monkey. Dare to continue reading so that you know the characteristics of the spider monkey, the types, where it lives and what it eats
Types of spider monkeys
There are several species of spider monkeys, specifically seven, however, they are all grouped in the genus Ateles. Let's find out what the types of spider monkey are:
- Geoffroy's spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi).
- White-bellied spider monkey (Ateles belzebuth).
- Guiana spider monkey (Ateles paniscus).
- Brown Spider Monkey (Ateles hybridus).
- White-cheeked spider monkey (Ateles marginatus).
- Brown-headed spider monkey (Ateles fusciceps).
- Black-faced black spider monkey (Ateles chamek).
Spider Monkey Characteristics
Below, we present the main characteristics of the spider monkey species.
Geoffroy's Spider Monkey
Measures between 30 to 65 cm, additionally the tail has a length between 60 and 85 cm. The limbs are long, the snout is large but the head is small. The fur is brown or reddish, the face is light, especially around the mouth and eyes, the lower areas of the body are usually light in color.
White-bellied Spider Monkey
It is characterized by its longer extremities than the rest of the body, the tail that measures between 60 to almost 90 cm, is of prehensile type. It weighs between 6 to 9 kg, the males that are larger than the females, measure between 42 to 50 cm and these from 34 to 59 cm. It has a typical triangle-shaped spot on the face, the ventral part of the body is pale or white.
Guiana Spider Monkey
The males are slightly larger than the females, so that on average they measure about 54.5 cm and the latter 54 cm, without considering the tail. The average weight of the males is a little more than 9 kg and that of the females about 8.4 kg. His fur is long and very dark black, except for the face
Brown Spider Monkey
The forelimbs are longer than the hindlimbs, The tail is long, about 75 cm and prehensile On average they weigh between 8 to 9 kg, and measure 45 to 50 cm, with males being slightly larger and heavier than females. It has a white triangular patch on the forehead, it can be light or dark brown on the upper part of the body, while the lower part and extremities are lighter.
White Cheeked Spider Monkey
The males weigh an average of 6.2 kg, while the females weigh 5.8 kg. In relation to the length, the former measure from 50 to 71 cm and the tail between 75 to 90 cm; the latter, from 35 to 58 cm, while the tail from 62 to 77 cm. The entire body is black in coloration, with white triangular patches on the forehead, snout and cheeks.
Brown-headed spider monkey
The limbs, like other cases, are long, however, they are characterized by being narrower. The tail, which is longer than the body, measures between 70 to 85 cm long, but the body averages 40 to 55 cm. The average weight of this type of spider monkey is 9 kg, there is no distinction between males and females in this regard. The coat is long, dark on top, and generally lighter on the bottom; the eyes and mouth are surrounded by a pale colouration
Black-faced Black Spider Monkey
This spider monkey is completely black and, because lacks fur around the eyes, mouth and nariz, is the only thing that can be seen of another coloration on the animal's body. It has a weight range between 7 and 9 kg, measuring about 70 cm.
Where does the spider monkey live?
Spider monkeys belong to primates that are distributed exclusively in America. Let's find out in which countries they have a specific presence:
Geoffroy's Spider Monkey
Geoffroy's spider monkey lives in the following countries.
- Belize
- Costa Rica
- The Savior
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Mexico
- Nicaragua
- Panama
White-bellied Spider Monkey
As for this type of spider monkey, we can find it at:
- Brazil
- Colombia
- Ecuador
- Peru
- Venezuela
Guiana Spider Monkey
The Guiana spider monkey can be found in the following countries:
- Brazil
- Guiana
- French Guiana
- Surinam
Brown Spider Monkey
As for the brown spider monkey, its distribution is based solely on Colombia and Venezuela.
White Cheeked Spider Monkey
On the other hand, the white-cheeked spider monkey is one of the types of spider monkey found only in Brazil.
Brown-headed spider monkey
The brown-headed spider monkey is distributed by:
- Colombia
- Ecuador
- Panama
Black-faced Black Spider Monkey
Finally, the black-faced spider monkey can be seen in countries such as:
- Bolivia
- Brazil
- Peru
What does the spider monkey eat?
The spider monkey is a mainly herbivorous animal, which generally feeds on ripe fruits, and to a lesser extent on flowers and leaves present In their habitat. He is not a dietary specialist, that is, throughout the year, and depending on the presence or not of certain plants, he varies those he consumes.
However, some types of spider monkeys may eventually switch to an omnivorous diet, because they include insects andarachnids . In this way particular foods can be:
- Fruits
- Flowers
- Sheets
- Seeds
- Walnuts
- Vegetable fluids
- Cortex
- Estate
- Tubers
- Mushrooms
- Insects
- Spiders
- Eggs
