Milton's titi monkey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Milton’s titi |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Plecturocebus
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| Species: |
miltoni
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| Synonyms | |
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Callicebus miltoni |
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The Milton's titi monkey (Plecturocebus miltoni) is a type of titi monkey. These monkeys are a kind of New World monkey found in the southern Amazon rainforest in Brazil. This species was named after Milton Thiago de Mello, a Brazilian scientist who studies primates. Milton's titi was first found in 2011 by Julio César Dalponte and was officially recognized as a new species in 2014.
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What Milton's Titi Monkeys Look Like
Milton's titi monkeys have a unique look. They have a light gray stripe on their forehead. Their sideburns and throat are a dark orange-brown color. Their body and sides are dark gray, while their tail is completely orange. Their belly is a lighter orange-brown.
Where Milton's Titi Monkeys Live
Milton's titi monkeys were found in the Brazilian states of Mato Grosso and Amazonas. They mostly live around the Aripuanã River, Roosevelt River, and Guariba River. The first monkey studied, called the holotype, was found near the Roosevelt River in the Guariba-Roosevelt Extractive Reserve.
These monkeys live in the areas between the Roosevelt and Aripuanã rivers. They cannot swim, so rivers act like natural fences that limit where they can go. Hills to the south also stop them from spreading further. This means Milton's titi monkeys only live in this specific area, making them endemic to it.
Their Forest Home
Milton's titi monkeys live in a type of rainforest called an ombrophilous alluvial forest. This kind of forest gets a lot of rain and often has Araucaria pine trees. The weather is hot and humid in summer, and cooler in winter.
These monkeys prefer to live high up in the trees, in the forest's top layers (the canopy) and the layer just below it (the undercanopy). The forest canopy can reach up to 30 meters (about 100 feet) tall. Their habitat is also known as terra firme forest, which means it's on gentle hills that don't flood. This area is very important because many unique species live there.
Scientists believe the area where P. miltoni lives is about 4,921,540 hectares (about 12.1 million acres). A large part of this area is within indigenous territory, like the Terra Indigena Arara do Rio Branco.
How Milton's Titi Monkeys Behave and What They Eat
Like other titi monkeys, Milton's titis are very territorial. They use loud calls to communicate with other groups, especially in the morning. These calls are less common during the dry season. Their communication can sometimes be linked to how much fruit is available, which is more common during the rainy season.
Titi monkey groups usually consist of a mother, a father, and their young. Groups of up to five monkeys have been seen. When they sleep, family members often touch their tails together.
Milton's titi monkeys are active during the day and take short naps. They are excellent at jumping between trees and branches. This is why their German name, Springaffen, means "jumping monkeys."
Their Diet
Milton's titi monkeys mostly eat fruit, just like other titi species. Some of their favorite fruits come from plants like Inga, cacao, and cecropia.
How Milton's Titi Monkeys Are Classified
Locally, Milton's titis are sometimes called "fire-tailed zogue zogue." The first monkey used for scientific study was found by a local hunter before being given to scientist Dalponte.
Milton's titis belong to a group of species called Plecturocebus Moloch. When they were first discovered, they were named Callicebus miltoni. The titi monkey family, called Callicebinae, has many different species. Because there was so much variety, scientists suggested three new groups (genera) in 2002:
- Callicebus for titis from eastern Brazil.
- Cheracebus for "collared" titis.
- Plecturocebus for titis from the Amazon and Chaco regions.
The different species of Plecturocebus moloch spread across the Amazon during the Pleistocene era. Rivers acted as barriers, separating groups of monkeys. This led to new species forming over time, which helps explain why there are so many different kinds of titi monkeys.
Protecting Milton's Titi Monkeys
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) does not have enough information yet to decide how much risk Milton's titi monkeys face. The last time they were assessed was in 2021.
The scientists who discovered the species say that deforestation (cutting down forests) is the biggest threat to these monkeys. When the species was first described, about 2.32 million hectares (about 5.7 million acres) of their habitat had already been deforested. This was about 4.7% of their total living area. Hunting does not seem to be a major danger to them.
About 25% of the area where Milton's titi monkeys live is in protected areas. This includes places like:
- Guariba-Roosevelt Extractivist Reserve
- Aripuanã Forest State Park
- Manicoré Forest State Park
- Aripuanã Reserva de Desenvolmento Sustentável
- Campos Amazonicos National Park
- Rio Flor do Prado Ecological Station
See also
In Spanish: Tití de Milton para niños
