Gray-bellied night monkey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gray-bellied night monkey |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Aotus
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| Species: |
lemurinus
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| Geographic range | |
| Synonyms | |
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hershkovitzi Ramirez-Cerquera, 1983 |
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The gray-bellied night monkey (Aotus lemurinus) is a small monkey from the Americas. People also call it the grey-legged douroucouli or lemurine owl monkey. These monkeys live in warm, wet forests in South America. Sadly, they are in danger because of hunting, being caught for science studies, and losing their homes.
Contents
Understanding the Gray-Bellied Night Monkey's Family Tree
Scientists group living things into families. This helps us understand how they are related. The gray-bellied night monkey belongs to a group called Aotus.
Different Types of Night Monkeys
In the past, some monkeys were thought to be types of the gray-bellied night monkey. These were called subspecies. Now, scientists believe most of these are actually their own full species.
Here are some monkeys that used to be subspecies:
- Brumback's night monkey, Aotus brumbacki
- Gray-handed night monkey, Aotus griseimembra
- Panamanian night monkey, Aotus zonalis
Another monkey, Aotus hershkovitzi, is now considered the same as the gray-bellied night monkey.
What Does the Gray-Bellied Night Monkey Look Like?
Like other night monkeys, this species is nocturnal. This means they are active at night. They have a small, round head with black stripes. Two big, brown eyes dominate their face.
Special Features of the Night Monkey
Their eyes can shine a reddish-orange color in the dark. This is like an owl's eyes. They have bushy white eyebrows with a patch of darker fur between them. Their fur is thick and soft, colored gray. Their belly is yellow to orange.
Their tail is brownish-black to orange and always has a black tip. It is not prehensile, meaning they cannot use it to grab things. These monkeys have thin arms and legs. Their fingers are long and delicate, with wide pads on the tips. Adult monkeys can weigh up to 1.3 kilograms. Males and females look very similar.
Where Do Gray-Bellied Night Monkeys Live and What Do They Eat?
You can find gray-bellied night monkeys in both dry and wet forest areas. They live high up in the trees, but rarely go down to the ground. They prefer thick plants with lots of vines.
Their Home Range
Their home stretches from Colombia and north-eastern Argentina. It also includes Venezuela, Ecuador, and Panama. They live in the tropical Andes mountains too.
What's on the Menu?
During the day, these monkeys sleep inside tree holes or in thick bushes. At night, they search the treetops for food. They mostly eat fruit, so they are called frugivores. They also eat other plants, insects, and sweet nectar. If fruit is hard to find, they might even eat small mammals or birds.
Gray-Bellied Night Monkey Behavior and Life Cycle
Gray-bellied night monkeys are most active when the sun is setting or rising. They are also active when the moon is bright. A monkey group usually has a mom, a dad, and their young. There can be up to five monkeys in one group.
Family Life and Raising Young
These monkeys are known for being monogamous. This means a male and female stay together for life. Both parents help raise their babies. However, the male monkey does most of the caring. He carries the babies and looks after them. The female only nurses them. If the male dies, the female will not take over his care duties.
How They Communicate
These monkeys are quite noisy. They make many different sounds. They can make soft clicks and low rumbles. They also make owl-like hoots and loud shrieks when they feel in danger. When they are not eating, they usually stay still.
Like other night monkeys, they claim a small area as their home. This area is about 0.1 square kilometers. Scent is very important for them to talk to each other. They mark their territory with brown, oily liquid from the base of their tail.
Having Babies
Babies are usually born at the end of the dry season and in the middle of the wet season. A mother is pregnant for about 133 days. Usually, only one baby is born at a time. Twins are very rare. They only have one litter of babies each year.
Young monkeys become adults when they are 2.5 to 3.5 years old. At this age, they leave their family group. They go off to find their own mate and start a new family.
See also
In Spanish: Marikiná para niños
