New World monkey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids New World monkeys |
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| Black-headed spider monkey with its prehensile tail |
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Platyrrhini
Geoffroy, 1812
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Ceboidea
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New World monkeys are a special group of primates. You can find them living in Central and South America. They are different from monkeys and apes found in other parts of the world. Scientists group them together in a superfamily called Ceboidea. This is the only living group of platyrrhine monkeys. The name "platyrrhine" means "flat-nosed," which describes their noses. Old World monkeys and apes are part of a different group called Catarrhini.
These are the main families of New World monkeys:
- Platyrrhini: These are the New World monkeys. They belong to the Superfamily Ceboidea.
- Family Cebidae: This family includes capuchins and squirrel monkeys.
- Family Pitheciidae: This family includes titis, sakis, and uakaris.
- Family Atelidae: This family includes howler, spider, muriqui (woolly spider), and woolly monkeys.
Contents
Where did New World Monkeys Come From?
About 40 million years ago, all simians (monkeys and apes) split into two main groups. These were the Platyrrhini (New World monkeys) and the Catarrhini (apes and Old World monkeys). A big question for scientists is how the early monkeys got to the Americas.
There are two main ideas about how they arrived:
- One idea is that they crossed the Atlantic. At that time, the ocean was not as wide as it is today.
- Another idea is that they traveled across Asia, then crossed the Bering Strait, and finally moved down through North America.
Scientists are still looking for clues to find out which route is correct.
What Makes New World Monkeys Special?
New World monkeys have several features that make them different from Old World monkeys.
- Nose Shape: Their noses are flatter. Their nostrils face out to the sides, not downwards.
- Color Vision: Most New World monkeys do not have full colour vision. This means they see colors differently than humans.
- Teeth: They have a different number and arrangement of teeth. This is called a different dental formula.
- Family Life: Many New World monkeys form monogamous pair bonds. This means a male and female stay together. The male often helps care for the young.
- Babies: It is common for New World monkeys to have twin births.
- Thumbs: Their thumbs are usually not opposable. This means they cannot easily touch their thumb to their other fingers.
- Tails: The monkeys in the Atelidae family have long tails. These tails are very strong and can grip things like branches. They use them like an extra hand!
Related Pages
See Also
- In Spanish: Platyrrhini para niños
