Monkeys are primates classified according to scientific jargon into Platyrrhines or New World monkeys and Cercopithecoids or Old World monkeys. This list does not include the hominoids, which would be the primates that do not have a tail, where man enters. Animals such as the orangutan, the chimpanzee, the gorilla or the gibbons do not fall into the scientific classification of monkeys either, since the latter, in addition to having a tail, have a more primitive skeleton and are small animals.
Next you will be able to see the scientific classification of monkeys in more detail, where two different parvordenes and a total of six families of monkeys can be distinguished, all this in this article on our site. The different types of monkeys and their names you can see below:
Classification of the infraorder Simiiformes
To correctly understand everything about the types of monkeys we must detail that there are a total of 6 families of monkeys grouped into 2 different parvorders.
Parvorden Platyrrhini: This encompasses what are known as New World monkeys:
- Family Callitrichidae - 42 species in Central and South America
- Family Cebidae - 17 species in Central and South America
- Family Aotidae - 11 species in Central and South America
- Family Pitheciidae - 54 species in South America
- Family Atelidae - 27 species in Central and South America
Parvorden Catarrhini: Covers those known as old world monkeys.
Family Cercopithecidae - 139 species in Africa and Asia
As you can see, the Simiiformes infraorder is very extensive, with several families and more than 200 species of monkeys. Species distributed approximately equally in American territory and in African and Asian territory. It should be noted that in the parvorden Catarrhini there is the Hominoidea family, primates that are not classified as monkeys.
Marmosets and tamarins
Marmosets or Callitrichidae by their scientific name are primates that live in South America and Central America, in this family there are a total of 7 different genera:
- Black-crowned marmoset:it is a primate that lives in the Amazon, they can reach up to 39 cm in adulthood, being one of the smallest marmosets.
- Pygmy marmoset or dwarf marmoset:characterized by its small size, being the smallest species of monkey of those designated to the new world. It lives in the Amazon.
- Goeldi's Tamarind: it is also an inhabitant of the Amazon, characterized by its long, shiny, black fur, except on the belly where they have no hair. They have a mane that can be up to 3 cm long.
- Neotropical marmoset: Neotropical marmosets are a total of 6 species of primates including the common marmoset, black brushed marmoset, black-eared tamarin, buff-headed tamarin, white-eared tamarin, and Geoffroy's tamarin.
- The genus Mico:comprises a total of 14 species of marmosets that live in the Amazon jungle and north of the Paraguayan Chaco. Featured species include the silvery tamarin, black-tailed tamarin, tassel-eared tamarin, and golden tamarin.
- Lion tamarin: Lion tamarins are a genus of small monkeys that owe their name to their mane, typical of the Brazilian jungle. The species are easily distinguished by their colors, including the golden lion tamarin, golden-headed lion tamarin, black lion tamarin and black-faced lion tamarin.
- Tamarino: Tamarins as such, are a genus of primates that inhabit Central and South America. Characteristic for having small canines and long incisors, where there are a total of 15 species.
A silvery marmoset appears in the image:
The capuchin monkey
In the Cébidos family, due to its scientific name, we find a total of 17 species distributed in 3 different genera:
- Graceful Capuchin Monkey: Graceful capuchin monkeys get their name from the white hood of fur that surrounds their face, they can grow up to 45 cm and comprise 4 species, the white-faced monkey, the weeping capuchin, the white-fronted capuchin and the cairara.
- Robust Capuchin Monkey: Robust capuchin monkeys are endemic to the warm regions of South America, as their name indicates they are more corpulent than the graceful capuchins, characterized by tufts on the head. They have a total of 8 species. Both graceful and stocky capuchins belong to the family Cebidae, but to the subfamily Cebinae.
- Squirrel monkey: Squirrel monkeys live in forests of South and Central America, they can be found in the Amazon or in Panama and Costa Rica, depending on the species. They have a total of 5 species, they belong to the Cebidae family, but to the Saimiriinae subfamily.
In the photograph you can see a capuchin monkey:
The night monkeys
The night monkeys are the only genus of primates in the family Aotidae, they can be found in South and Central America in tropical forests. They can measure up to 37 cm, the same size as the tail. They have characteristic brown or gray fur which covers their ears.
As their name indicates, they are animals with nocturnal habits, endowed with very large eyes like many of the animals that are active in the night and an orange sclera. It is a genus that has a total of 11 species.
The uakari monkeys
Pitecids by their scientific name, are a family of primates that live in the tropical forests of South America, in most cases arborists. In this family there are 4 genera and a total of 54 species:
- Mono uakarí: the uakarí monkeys or also called guakarís where a total of 4 species are known. Characterized by having a tail much shorter than the size of their body, we are talking about half or a little less in many cases.
- Bearded Sakí: Bearded Sakí are primates that live in South America, they owe their name to a noticeable beard that covers their jaw, neck and chest. They have a bushy tail that only serves to swing. In this genus 5 different species are known.
- Sakí: the sakís themselves are primates that live in the jungles of Ecuador, where a total of 16 species of monkeys,. Both sakís, bearded sakís and uakarí monkeys belong to the subfamily Pitheciinae, always in the family Pitheciidae.
- Huicoco monkey: Huicoco monkeys are a genus of primates that live in Peru, Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay, and Bolivia. They can measure up to 46 cm, with an equal or 10 cm longer tail. The genus includes a total of 30 species, they belong to the Callicebinae subfamily and the Pitheciidae family.
In the image you can see a specimen of uakarí:
Howler Monkeys
Athelid monkeys are a family of primates that can be found throughout Central America and South America, even from the southern part of Mexico. This family includes 5 genera and a total of 27 species:
- Howler Monkey: Howler monkeys are animals that live in tropical areas, they can be found from Argentina to southern Mexico. They owe their name to the characteristic sound they emit to communicate, very useful when they are in danger. They can measure up to 92 cm long, with a tail of similar measurements. They have a short face and flat nose, they belong to the Alouttinae subfamily, always within the Atelidae family. A total of 13 species can be distinguished.
- Spider monkey: spider monkeys owe their name to the absence of an opposable thumb on their limbs, they are found from Mexico to South America. They can measure up to 90 cm, with a tail of similar size. It is a genus that has a total of 7 species.
- Woolly Spider Monkey: Woolly spider monkeys can be found in Brazil, gray or brown in color completely contrasting to the black of a monkey common spider. It is the largest platyrrhine genus, which has 2 species.
- Woolly Monkey: Woolly monkeys are primates found in the jungles and forests of South America. They can measure up to 49 cm and their distinctive feature is the presence of woolly brown to chestnut fur. This genus has 4 species of monkeys.
- Yellow-tailed woolly: it is the only species of the genus Oreonax, endemic to Peru. Its current status is bleak, as it is listed as critically endangered, one step away from extinction in the wild and two steps away from complete extinction. They can measure up to 54 cm, with a tail slightly larger than their body. The yellow-tailed woolly monkey, woolly monkey, woolly spider monkey, and spider monkey all belong to the subfamily Atelinae and the family Atelidae.
A howler monkey appears in the photograph:
The monkeys of the old world
The Cercopithecids by their scientific name, also known as the old world monkeys, belong to the Catarrhini parvórden and to the Cercopithecoidea superfamily. It is a family where there are a total of 21 genera and 139 species of monkeys. These animals live in Africa and Asia, in varied climates and equally changing habitats. Among the most important genres are:
- Red monkey: is a species of primate from East Africa, they live in savannahs and semi-desert areas. They can reach 85 cm and have a 10 cm shorter tail. It is one of the fastest primates, it can reach 55 km/h.
- Macaque: Macaques are found in Africa, China, Gibr altar, and Japan. These monkeys have a short, poorly developed tail or none at all. A total of 22 species appear in this genus.
- Baboon: Baboons are land animals that rarely climb trees, they are the largest monkeys in the old world. They are quadrupedal animals, with a long and thin head, with a jaw with powerful canines. They prefer open habitats, in this genus there are 5 different species.
- Mono narigudo:is a primate endemic to the island of Bormeo, characteristic for having a long nose to which it owes its name. They are animals that are in danger of extinction, it is known that today there are only 7000 copies.
In the photo you can see a copy of the red monkey:
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