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Monkeys are tree-dwelling animals known for their high level of intelligence as they belong to the order of primates. Though they are mostly arboreal, some dwell on land in the savannas and mountainous regions, the baboon being a primary example.
- Mammalia
- Chordata
- Primates
- Monkey Facts: The Ultimate Guide to Monkeys
- Page Index
- What Is A Monkey?
- Monkey Characteristics
- Smallest and Largest Monkeys
- Types of Monkey
- Monkey Family Tree & Related Animals
- Monkey Habitat
- Monkey Facts: Behavior
- Monkey Intelligence
Monkeys are among our closest relatives in the animal kingdom. Although we’re not directly descended from today’s monkeys, we share with them the same ancestors and many of the same characteristics. On this fact-filled page we’ll find out what a monkey is, how monkeys are related to other primates (including us), the different types of monkey, wher...
Monkeys are small to mid-sized, social, (mostly) tree-dwelling mammals. There are two main types of monkey: old world monkeys and new world monkeys. There are around 267 species of monkey, 132 of which are new world monkeys and 135 of which are old world monkeys. Both types of monkey are part of a larger group of mammals known as primates. This gro...
Most monkeys live in trees, and even those that don’t are evolved from animals that did. Monkeys are therefore well-adapted for an arboreal (tree-dwelling) lifestyle. Monkeys have long, flexible limbs and highly-dexterous hands and feetfor climbing and gripping onto branches. All but one species of monkey (the Barbary macaque) have tails. Monkeys h...
Monkeys come in many different shapes and sizes. The smallest monkey is the pygmy marmoset (Cebuella pygmaea). This South American monkey weighs only a little over 100 g (3.5 oz.) and has a head-body length of just 11.7 cm (4.6 in). The mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx), a threatened species from the rainforests of western Africa, is the world’s largest...
Old World Monkeys Vs New World Monkeys
As we’ve found, there are two main monkey groups: old world monkeys and new world monkeys. Let’s take a look at the major differences between the two…
New World Monkeys
The term ‘New World monkey’ refers to species belonging to any of the five families in the parvorder* Platyrrhini. * A parvorder is a sub-group of an order, which itself is a large group of animals with shared characteristics. You can find out more about what words such as ‘order’ and ‘family’ mean here: Animal Classification New world monkeys – as their name suggests – are found in the Americas. A typical New World monkey is small to medium in size and has a flattened face and nose, slender...
Examples of New World Monkeys
Monkeys such as marmosets, capuchins, howler monkeys, spider monkeys and tamarins are all new world monkeys. The five new world monkey families are: 1. Callitrichidae (marmosets, tamarins) 2. Cebidae (capuchins, squirrel monkeys) 3. Aotidae (night monkeys) 4. Pitheciidae (titis, sakis, uakaris) 5. Atelidae (howler monkeys, spider monkeys, woolly spider monkeys, woolly monkeys)
85 - 55 Million Years Ago
The very first primates appeared in Africa sometime between 85 and 55 million years ago (yes, the very first primates may have lived alongside dinosaurs).
65 Million Years Ago
Around 65 million years ago the primates split into two main groups: the strepsirrhines, which today are represented by the lemurs, galagos, and lorises; and the haplorhines, which today are represented by monkeys, apes and tarsiers.
60 Million Years Ago
Around 60 million years ago the haplorhines themselves split into two groups: the simians (the group that includes monkeys and apes), and the tarsiers. 1. You can find out more about tarsiers on this page: Tarsier Facts
Monkeys occur in a wide range of habitats, including tropical rainforests, savannas and mountains. New World monkeys typically live in dense forests, and some (e.g. marmosets and tamarins) never leave the trees. Several species of Old World monkeys (e.g. the baboons and the gelada), spend most of their time on the ground. The majority of monkeys li...
Monkeys are generally very social animals. They spend a significant amount of time maintaining their social bonds with behavior such as grooming. Depending on the species, monkeys may live in troops of up to 250 individuals, or in small family groups consisting of a mated pair and their offspring. Large troops usually have a strict social hierarchy...
Compared to other mammals of similar size, monkeys tend to have large brain-to-body ratios. Spider monkeys have been found to be adept at problem-solving, while Japanese macaques are able to learn new behaviors by observing other individuals. Tool use (a good indicator of animal intelligence) has been observed in Capuchins, who use rocks to open nu...
Sep 16, 2019 · There are around 267 species of monkey living today. They are divided into two main types of monkey: old world monkeys and new world monkeys. All of the old world monkeys belong to a single family, whereas the new world monkeys are divided between five families.
Oct 19, 2024 · Monkey, in general, any of nearly 200 species of tailed primate, with the exception of lemurs, tarsiers, and lorises. The presence of a tail (even if only a tiny nub), along with their narrow-chested bodies and other features of the skeleton, distinguishes monkeys from apes.
Monkeys belong to the same order as humans (both are primates) and share some physical traits in common. They also look similar to apes.
- Mammalia
- Primates
- Animalia
- Chordata
Like apes and humans, monkeys belong to the group of mammals called primates. Monkeys look somewhat like apes such as chimpanzees, orangutans, and gorillas. But monkeys differ from apes in several ways. For instance, every monkey has a tail, even if it is just a tiny nub. Apes do not have tails.
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Feb 14, 2022 · Monkeys are a large group of primates spread around the world with many unique families, species and types, from mini marmosets to massive mandrills.
